The restoration of trade comes more than two years after the "mad cow" crisis prompted the Commission to impose a worldwide export blockade.

The rest of the UK's beef export market remains closed for the time being.

Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam said: "I'm prepared to eat beef anywhere you want me to, to help the industry, quite happily.

"I won't do is what that Tory minister did and subject my children to it, but I will certainly do what I can.

"The government has put an incredible amount of energy into this, in cabinet we have discussed beef and the problems of the industry as much as the big issues you would expect us to discuss."

Northern Ireland's tracking system ensures beef is clear of BSE

Northern Ireland has been cleared because it has a computerised cattle monitoring system which Brussels says provides sufficient safeguards against the transmission of BSE.

But similar checking systems guaranteeing that cattle from certified herds are disease-free have not yet been introduced in England, Scotland and Wales.

A Commission statement said exports of deboned beef and "derived products" from Northern Ireland could recommence from June 1.

It went on: "Exports may only take place for these products if they have been derived from animals which were born, raised and have remained in certified herds during their entire life.

"In addition, the entire production chain from slaughtering, cutting, further processing, storing and final dispatch should take place in Northern Ireland in establishments reserved for the handling of eligible products."

'Excellent news'

Agriculture Minister Jack Cunningham said: "This is excellent news and an important day for the United Kingdom's beef industry. It is what we have worked for. We are making sustained efforts to win a wider lifting of the ban to benefit exporters throughout the United Kingdom.

"The next step is a proposal for a Date Based Export Scheme, under which meat from animals born after 1 August 1996 from all parts of the UK could be exported."

Conservative agriculture spokesman James Paice said: "The announcement is good news for beef farmers in Northern Ireland, but will mean nothing to farmers in the rest of the UK as long as there remains no immediate prospect of a total lifting of the beef export ban."

The battle now begins in earnest to win back lucrative markets which have been lost to rival suppliers during the beef blockade.

The export market in the province is worth about £180m a year, and rival suppliers have stepped in during the UK trade blockade to absorb traditional outlets. Sales abroad account for 80% of the province's beef.

A lifting of the Northern Ireland ban was agreed earlier this year by EU farm ministers but was put on hold until the Commission completed final checks on the anti-BSE measures.