LONDON - Britain will act unilaterally to ban beef imports from Europe unless a deal is reached to tighten measures against "mad cow" disease across the EU, British Agriculture Minister Dr Jack Cunningham warned yesterday.
Dr Cunningham said he hoped the EU would reach agreement on the new controls before a meeting of agriculture ministers on July 22nd, but added that to protect public health he would act unilaterally if that deadline passed.
"I thought it was an absurd situation that, with all the rigorous controls on beef in this country, we are importing beef that was not subject to the same safeguards," he said at a press conference.