Obstruction policy almost swung against UK

BRITAIN'S policy of obstructing EU business nearly scuppered the partial lifting of the beef export ban at the Commission yesterday.

Although irate commissioners did agree to lift the ban on gelatin, tallow and semen, several members either sought to postpone the decision or to make it conditional on London abandoning its obstructionism.

Sources at the meeting say there was a lot of talk of "blackmail".

Last night the Commission President, Mr Jacques Santer, called on the British to abandon their policy. London, however, made clear it would not do so.

The price Britain is paying for its strategy was further emphasised by reliable reports from diplomatic sources that the three Benelux countries voted against partial lifting of the ban at the Farm Council on Monday precisely because of the British veto policy.

Had they supported Britain a qualified majority would have been achieved, allowing ministers instead of the Commission to ease the ban.

Mr Santer is understood to have been told of their decision by very senior Benelux sources, and he made an oblique allusion to it yesterday when he again warned strongly of the counterproductive effects of the British strategy of which he said he had direct knowledge.

At the Commission yesterday a decision was only possible, despite a strong appeal for moderation from Mr Santer, on the basis, that a protest letter would be sent to the British Prime Minister, Mr Major. The letter will warn that progress on a framework for the "lifting of the overall ban is likely to be "seriously affected" unless there is a "deescalation" by the British.

Mr Major will also be reminded of the EU Treaty obligation (Article 5) to facilitate the workings of the EU institutions and to "abstain from all measures likely to jeopardise the realisation of the objectives of this treaty.

Both statements were immediately taken by British journalists as threats to retaliate by meeting non co-operation with non co-operation and with possible legal action. A Commission spokesman said, however, they were simply trying to explain the reality that obstruction by the British was likely to produce a hardening of attitudes.

At the Commission meeting the Irish Commissioner, Mr Padraig Flynn, is understood to have backed the proposals for partial lifting from the Farm Commissioner, Mr Franz Fischler, and to have warned against being provoked by the British into adopting a similar approach.

The Commission's authority stemmed from its scientifically based stand, and to retreat from this would be to lose the high moral ground, Mr Flynn is reported to have said.

But for some time Mr Flynn, Mr Santer and Mr Fischler appeared to be in a minority. Both British Commissioners were away.

Sir Leon Brittan in Australia on a trade mission, and Mr Neil Kinnock opening a bridge in Wales and a proposal to defer the decision on gelatin and tallow from the German Commissioner, Mr Martin Bangemann, had wide support.

Mr Bangemann said they, should not agree to the measure until Britain gave an assurance that their non co-operation would end.

He was strongly supported by the Spanish Commissioner, Mr Manuel Marin, angered by the prospective vetoing of several decisions on portfolios in his charge. And Mr Maria had to be dissuaded from using a special procedure which allows any individual commissioner to block a "decision for a week. (The procedure was last used by Mr Flynn cover the Irish beef fine.)

They were backed vociferously by the Portuguese Commissioner, Mr Joao de Deus Pinheiro, and the Belgian, Mr Karel van Miert.

The second German Commissioner, Ms Monica Wulf Mathies, and the Swedish Commissioner, Ms Anita Grad in, demanded a clear message to Britain on the effects of their continuing vetos.

Speaking to the press later, Mr Santer said the Commission had made an important gesture of solidarity with Britain, but that solidarity "is not a one way street. I hope that from the British side will be a move to de-escalation. He said that "fair play" was supposed to be a British characteristic. "That is what I am asking for."

The ban on the export of fallow, gelatin and semen will be lifted as soon after June 10th as Britain can assure Commission inspectors that new licensing procedures and production methods are in place.

. The chairman of a British government funded study of whether cows can pass mad cow disease to their calves called yesterday for early results to be published immediately to restore, confidence in British herds. Sir Richard Southwood, chairman of the committee set up to look into, "the causes of mad cow disease said more cows than he had expected were catching the disease, despite measures aimed at stopping its spread.