Brussels, 22/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - Following the European Parliament resolution on 19 June against lifting the ban on the import of American chicken that has been treated with chlorine (see EUROPE 9685), Anne Ferreira (PES, France) issued a call to remain “on the alert” as Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen may only have backed down temporarily in his support for the return of American chickens that have gone through chlorine-based disinfection treatment. In Washington on 17 October, Verheugen told the US administration that, given the level of opposition from EU member states (see EUROPE 9765), he could not honour his promise to have the European embargo lifted. “Mr Verheugen now has to give up all discussion on this issue at the next Transatlantic Economic Council. But we have to remain vigilant, because he says unofficially that US poultry is as safe as European and, so, he remains personally opposed to the ban,” Ferreira warned. (E.H./transl.rt)