BRITAIN today won a major battle against France in the so-called "beef war" - but the campaign still goes on.

The European Court of Justice ruled that the French acted illegally in 1999 when, unlike other EU countries, they continued to ban the import of British beef following the BSE scandal - which has cost our already troubled industry millions of pounds.

Many observers here believed that the decision was taken more in the interests of protecting French farmers from competition than on public health grounds and led to strained relations between the two governments.

And although the British have now won one round of the legal battle, France has still lift the ban - and it is still to be decided whether or not the country should face hefty fines or be forced to pay compensation.

Justice will not be done, NFU president Ben Gill said today, until the French ban is lifted. He went on:

"The French government must now be under no illusion that it must lift its embargo immediately. And it must do everything in its power to help re-build the trading links that have been destroyed or obstructed by its illegal action.

"The losses caused by this unjustified action have been heavy for Britain's farming and food industries. The reparation must start today."

• Our countryside commentator, John Sheard, will discuss the long, sorry story of Europe's Common Agricultural Policy in a Week in the Country tomorrow.