THE EU took another cautious step towards the resolution of the continuing "mad cow" crisis following a meeting of foreign ministers in Rome yesterday.
Although a detailed agreement on the lifting of the current EU ban on British beef exports remains a long way down the road, there were political signals yesterday which suggest that the issue could be resolved at this weekend's European Council in Florence.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, said: "I think there is now the potential to have an agreement in Florence. The Commission meets tomorrow in Strasbourg and the Veterinary Committee meets on Wednesday and they will both prepare the groundwork for Florence. What we are talking about is a framework that is acceptable to both the United Kingdom and to the other 14 EU partners, a framework that will require a great deal of work between here and Friday."
The Tanaiste's cautious optimism was only partially shared by the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Malcolm Rifkind, who said it was now "more likely" an agreement would come at this weekend's two day summit. He said: "I don't feel any more or less optimistic. Inevitably, as one approaches the moment of truth, one is cautious."
The German Foreign Minister, Mr Klaus Kinkel, said it was "not at all clear" that an agreement, could be reached in Florence but there was movement towards it." He said: "I don't see a solution yet, but there is a small light at the end of the tunnel."
Fears that mad cow disease, or, bovine spongiform encephalopa thy (BSE), may cause a brain wasting human equivalent prompted an EU ban on British beef exports in March and triggered a Europe wide crisis of confidence in eating beef.
Britain has infuriated its partners by refusing to co operate in EU business until it is given a framework for ending the ban.
Italy has been understandably keen to resolve this problem either before or during the Florence summit in order for its EU Presidency to end on a high note rather than with a bitterly divided EU.
The discussion framework proposed by Britain last week proposes a five step lifting of the beef exports ban, tied to eradicating BSE but without a specific timetable.