EU Blocks British
Beef Export Plan

BRUSSELS, Belgium —(AP)— Veterinary officials from five European Union countries last week blocked a plan to significantly ease the 1996 European Union ban on British beef exports.

However, the plan is likely to be approved when it goes for a vote before EU farm ministers at a Nov. 23-24 meeting. A simple majority of the 15 EU nations is all that is needed for approval in that forum.

In the latest action, veterinary officials from five nations — Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Austria — succeeded in temporarily blocking the plan, which would allow the export of beef from British cattle born after Aug. 1, 1996.

Exports of British beef were banned in March 1996 after an outbreak of so-called "mad cow" disease, which has been linked to a fatal brain ailment in humans, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Meanwhile, the European Commission delayed a decision to ban export of beef and cattle from Portugal until the text of the decision can be reviewed, likely within several days. The ban was proposed following a sharp rise in cases of mad cow disease in Portugal.