The European Union also considered banning beef and lamb on the bone.

The European Union and countries around the world banned British beef.

France banned British beef in early 1996 for fear of mad cow disease.

Shephard told journalists that the campaign to ban British beef was motivated by internal German politics ahead of national and regional elections.

There is little market share to be gained in Europe, which already bans most American beef because of its hormone content.

More than 60 countries have completely or partly banned American beef, including Japan, the largest importer.

Last week, both Malaysia and Bosnia banned Brazilian beef, following the American lead.

More than 1,000 schools in Britain have banned beef from their menus because of concern that the disease could be passed to humans through food.

Within days of the discovery, 53 countries banned American beef.

In addition to France, the United States continues to ban British beef.