A position paper prepared by the Commission for the Florence European Council this weekend outlines the procedures that it believes are necessary to enable agreement on the gradual lifting of the export ban on UK beef. These include a package of thorough measures to eliminate BSE, to protect human health by preventing exposure to the BSE agent, and to restore consumer confidence. Any decisions at EU level would have to be taken up by Community inspections to verify effective implementation. The Commission expects the UK to end its non-cooperation policy towards the EU, without which there can be no agreement at Florence, Santer said. A Multi-disciplinary Committee on BSE is being established, to ensure that the scientific advice given to the Commission takes into account the widest possible range of expertise. A steering group has been nominated to set up the committee.