Santer faces dilemma over beef ban threat

Date: 12/06/1997

EUROPEAN Commission efforts to bolster public protection against BSE look set to cause President Jacques Santer acute embarrassment.

With UK Farm Minister Jack Cunningham threatening to ban imports of beef which do not reach British standards, Santer may find himself having to force through new anti-BSE legislation in the face of fierce opposition from several EU governments.

Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler will next week table proposals to ban 'specified risk materials' - the heads, spleens and spinal cords of cattle, sheep and goats - from the food chain.

The plan, which was thrown out by a majority of farm ministers when it was first tabled last year, has been singled out by Cunningham as the necessary prerequisite to stave off his threat of unilateral action against other EU member states.

Commission officials believe there is more support for the proposal this time around, but not enough to prevent the embarrassing scenario of the institution having to adopt the new rules under its own authority.

Last time, the French, British and Irish voted in favour. “This time, we might also get the Dutch and the Scandinavians on board. But we could end up with neither a qualified majority in favour nor a simple majority against. That would leave the plan in limbo and mean the Commission would be obliged to adopt it,” explained an official, adding: “Santer said he would never do that again after the gelatine controversy last year.”

The proposal must initially be put to the Standing Veterinary Committee for a vote and will only be passed on to farm ministers if the vets are unable to reach a clear verdict.

Fischler apparently does not feel that a decision can be reached in any forum before Cunningham's deadline of 22 July. However, officials believe London might stop short of imposing a ban if it was clear that the legislative wheels were in motion.

In theory, governments can take action to protect public health, but such steps are illegal in areas where harmonised EU rules already exist.

“The fact that we are currently proposing new rules would suggest that this is not the case, so we probably would not be able to take the UK to court anyhow,” said an official.

Meanwhile, the Commission is expected to begin legal action this month against four countries - Germany, France, Sweden and Spain - found, during inspections last year, to be in breach of recent rules on tighter manufacturing standards for animal remains and maintaining hygiene in slaughterhouses.