Britain took over the presidency of the European Community’s Council of Ministers last month at a key point in the development of Europe’s food and agriculture policy. The UK government is, however, hamstrung by its deliberate non-participation in a major policy development.
While enthusiastically supporting proposals for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, the presidency will be involved in a permanent wrangle over the rules and conditions for the establishment of ground rules for the commencement of the single currency at the beginning of 1999.
Agriculture Minister Jack Cunningham is already at loggerheads with the farm council over his high-handed action on the BSE issue at the end of 1997. The unilateral banning of the import of European beef not conforming to UK rules on the handling of so-called