Brussels, 29/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - "The French public authorities do not have any means to ban imports from the EU Member States, as the decision falls strictly on private operators", French Agriculture Minister Jean Glavany said on Friday in response to criticism from the European Commission, which alleged he had called on the French beef sector to momentarily suspend foreign meat imports (see EUROPE of 27 October, p.11). "France has, since the beginning of the crisis, taken on itself alone over 30% of the effort to clear the European market, although its flock accounts for only 20% of the whole", Mr Glavany recalled, stressing that he had often drawn his European colleagues' attention to a "certain lack of solidarity". The minister expresses surprise, in this context, that one can accuse France of breaching Community rules. He recalled its "deep attachment to the principles guiding common agricultural policy" and its rejection of any idea to renationalise the policy.