Brussels, 23/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - The French authorities have called on the European Commission to grant more time before they have to decide on lifting the embargo on British beef, it was stated at the French Agriculture Ministry on Monday by François Patriat. He made it clear that the AFSSA (Agence de sécurité sanitaire des aliments) hopes to be given more information on BSE from the British authorities. France has sent a letter along these lines to the Commission in answer to the formal notice recently addressed to it for failing to comply with the Court of Justice ruling requesting it to lift its embargo on such imports.
Commissioner David Byrne confirmed he had received the French response and said it was still too soon to say whether the extra time would be granted. He nonetheless hinted that the Commission would not let itself be intimidated ("my opinion is based on what happened two years ago", he said) and therefore did not rule out continuing procedure with the despatch of a reasoned opinion (second stage in referral before the Court of Justice when calling for application of financial penalties).