Brussels, 31/08/2006 (Agence Europe) - Since 31 August, France has been added to the list of Member States (Germany, Netherlands and Belgium) that have confirmed cases of bluetongue in sheep. The Commission is calling a meeting on 1 September with the chief veterinary officers of the five Member States concerned (the four above plus Luxembourg) to ensure a fully coordinated response by Member States to the bluetongue situation. The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health next week will discuss whether to step up measures to combat bluetongue. France has detected an outbreak of bluetongue in a herd of 31 dairy cattle in Brognon, in the Ardennes, (EUROPE 9252) and has taken the immediate decision to restrict, if not ban, all movements of live ruminants beyond a protection zone (100 km around the place of outbreak) and a surveillance zone (150 km around the centre of the outbreak). Also, it has banned all animals entering or leaving a 20 km zone around the town where the outbreak was discovered.