EC withdraws beef fines against France

The European Commission has withdrawn its demand for fines against France for refusing to lift its illegal ban on British beef imports.

The move follows a French government decision to resume the trade in British beef – more than a year after it was ordered to do so by the European Court of Justice.

The Commission’s legal request for hefty daily fines for the delay was still being considered by the judges when France finally complied and opened up its beef markets to Britain last month.