Panel Urges France to Lift Beef Ban

The European Commission’s top panel of scientists unanimously rejected French evidence offered to support a ban on British beef exports over fears of “mad cow” disease. After a week of deepening tension between London and Paris, European Consumer Affairs Commissioner David Byrne said France should lift its ban on British beef to fall into line with the rest of the European Union. “The Scientific Steering Committee today concluded unanimously that it does not share the concern expressed by the French Food Agency about the safety of meat and meat products exported by the UK,” the commission said in a statement. France will address the matter next week, sources close to Prime Minister Lionel Jospin said.