Brussels, 21/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - On 20 December, the European Commission announced its intentions of putting an end to export refunds for live cattle in the near future, notably explaining that the Community market for bovine meat had essentially got back on its feet after the mad cow crisis. It is responding to demands from the countries of the EU, which believe that this decision will help to improve animal welfare. The Commission will put this proposal to the EU management committee on 23 December. "The time has come to put an end to the subsidies. The prospects for the beef market are good, and so keeping this form of support to farmers can no longer be justified", said Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture. Prices for live cattle rose considerably in 2005, to 300 EUR per hundred kilos for a male adult bovine, compared to 265 in 2003, the Commissioned points out. Lebanon is the EU's main market for live cattle. At the Agriculture Council on Tuesday, the Member States were divided on the issue. Denmark, which leads to fight against this form of aid, was supported by the United Kingdom and Sweden, whilst France, Ireland, Austria, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Portugal, Belgium and Luxembourg voiced their concern about the Commission's intentions.