Luxembourg, 24/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - Backed by Denmark and Poland, the Netherlands made a request at the Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on Thursday 23 April for a ban on imports and exports of eels and elvers because the eel stock has virtually been wiped out. France and other countries, including Spain, argued in favour of keeping its elver export quota because it has made efforts to restore the eel stock (eel-fishing ships have been removed from the fleet). France pointed to the existence of an eel stock management plan that it notified at the end of 2008 and said that there was no eel export ban at EU level or under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). The European Commission invited EU member states to ensure that elvers are exported in line with EU rules. The Commission said this did not prevent countries that so desired from introducing their own, stricter, export bans where appropriate. (L.C./transl.fl)