Possible partial lifting of ban on British beef exports

The European Commission is expected to agree today Wednesday to recommend a partial lifting of the ban on British beef exports.

The ban was imposed nearly two years ago because of the potential link between the cattle disease BSE and its human equivalent CJD.

The Commission is likely to recommend that beef from herds in Northern Ireland should be exempted from the ban, because records show they have been free from disease for eight years.

But agriculture experts say it could be weeks, or even months before the authorities allow beef from Northern Ireland to go on sale throughout Europe.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service