§ Lord Kilclooneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What has been their response to the decision of the European Commission not to pursue the cases in the European Court of Justice against France for its illegal ban on United Kingdom beef; and what representations they have made to the Commission since this decision. [HL169]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanWe have made no representations to the Commission on this issue since its decision. After all, as the noble Lord is aware, it was the actions of the European Commission and the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that helped persuade the French Government finally to lift their unjustified and illegal ban on beef imports from the United Kingdom. We very much welcome the role that those EU institutions played in resolving the issue. As the noble Lord will also be aware, the National Farmers Union continues to pursue its own case in the French courts, in which it seeks a ruling that the beef ban was illegal. This follows a separate judgment by the ECJ.