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27 March 2000 ‘Dirty tricks’ hit beef export drive _BY FWI STAFF_ DIRTY tricks by European officials and international traders are hampering attempts to restore the 600 million market in

British beef exports, it is claimed. French delegations have targeted Belgium and Dutch buyers in an attempt to dissuade them from placing orders for British beef, says _The Times_. The

Irish have also attempted to negatively influence Continental meat buyers interested in British meat. The Spanish, too, have tried to create difficulties. Information about the alleged scam

is contained in a briefing note from the Meat and Livestock Commission for the Ministry of Agriculture. The document is said to reveal that a French embassy official tried to undermine

attempts by a Dutch meat company to buy British beef. One Irish exporter offered to undercut the price of a deal involving British beef. Concern is mounting that Spain is also trying to

hinder British beef sales. The Spanish health department, which instigated a police visit to the British stand at the Barcelona fair earlier this month, is trying to hamper the trade. France

denied any dirty tricks, but _The Times_ reports that privately they were bemused, saying there was little appetite for British beef abroad. Meanwhile, French chefs are undertaking a

fact-finding tour to Britain later this week as guests of the MLC and the Prince of Wales. Earlier, it was announced that the first German orders for British fillet steak had been placed

since the EU put a ban in place four years. The first shipments of British beef are expected to be sent to Germany early next month after German politicians lifted their ban on the product.