BLEATING RETREAT

The UK was at
the receiving end when the
European Court of Justice ruled
recently that a ban on export of live
sheep imposed by it on Spain, was
unlawful. The Luxembourg court
ruled that the UK agriculture ministry had been wrong to deny a
licence to a sheep exporter stating
the reasons that Spain had not
properly implemented European
Union rules on the humane slaughter of animals. The judges ruled
that the UK was not in a position to
produce any proof of breach of
rules by the Spanish slaughter-house. They directed the British
government to pay compensation
to the exporter, Hedley Lomas.