The European Commission this week proposed to ban all exports of Portuguese beef and live cattle

Date: 29/10/1998

in response to escalating fears of a BSE epidemic in the country. National veterinary chiefs are expected to approve the proposal tomorrow (30 October), paving the way for the ban to come into force next week. Under the Commission's proposal, the embargo on beef exports would expire after nine months and the ban on livestock exports would be reviewed after 18 months. Portuguese Farm Minister Santos Capoulas protested that the measures were disproportionate, but Consumer Affairs Commissioner Emma Bonino insisted: “We must do what we can to safeguard the health of consumers.”