Smuggled meat sets back hopes for easing beef ban
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Hopes for an easing of the European Union's ban on British beef suffered a fresh setback yesterday after the European Commission said it had evidence that smuggled beef from the United Kingdom was getting into Germany. Brussels has asked the German authorities to order the closure of at least one meat plant and to step up controls on a handful of others, all in the Hamburg region. Bonn, which holds the key to any decision to relax the ban, immediately ruled out any support for special concessions even to Northern Ireland. Jack Cunningham, the Minister for Agriculture, admitted that Bonn's reaction in yesterday's meeting was tougher than anticipated.
The latest fraud concerns an unspecified tonnage of suspected British beef seized from plants in Germany which were raided by inspectors last week. There are growing fears in Brussels that a highly organised international fraud ring is smuggle British beef in the EU, and also to Russia.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments