EUROPEAN Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler yesterday raised hopes of early approval of a date-based export scheme for British beef which, according to English NFU president Ben Gill, could see a resumption of exports by the autumn.

Fischler was speaking in Northumberland were European farm ministers are meeting today. They spent part of yesterday studying a presentation on the workings of the new computer-based British Cattle Movement Service which is due to come into operation at the end of September.

The home-based farming unions are keen to emphasise that all the traceability criteria are now in place for a resumption of exports.

That view had Fischler's qualified support, but the one point upon which he would not be drawn was a target date for lifting of the export ban.

He indicated, however, that those who fear the commission will demand 18 months of successful operation of the computerised database are perhaps over-pessimistic. That timescale would cover the average time taken for beef cattle to be ready for marketing.

''The question is how far must computer traceability go,'' said the commissioner.

He is hopeful that the commission will within the next few weeks have before it a clear proposal for the implementation of the date-based scheme, which is founded on the fact that no cattle have been exposed to contaminated feed since August 1996.

''We have the green light from the scientists, apart from some points of control and the dedication of abattoirs for export trade,'' he said.

Once the decision-making process starts, the scheme will go to the standing veterinary committee, which normally divides on political rather than scientific lines.

If there is no qualified majority there, the issue will be passed on the the Council of Ministers' meeting in June. If the matter is still unresolved, the final decision will be taken by the commission.

However, there is a possibility that the scheme could be approved without specifying a date for the lifting of the ban.

Much may depend on the attitude of the Germans, who have been among the most strident critics of BSE.

The German agriculture minister missed yesterday's presentation on the cattle movement service because of other commitments.

One of his senior civil servants, however, said extreme care would have to be exercised about the relaxation of the export ban because cases of BSE were still being reported.

There was a note of caution, too, from the Luxembourg farm minister, Fernand Boden. It was difficult to predict a date for the lifting of the ban, he said.

''We had long discussions about Northern Ireland, so I think we must now wait 'just a little period' to see what the results of that are before we make a further decision.''

Gill said he was optimistic about the prospects for lifting the beef ban, but it would still take some months. He called on the industry to move as quickly as possible on to electronic tagging, which would allow the UK to return to the export market ''ahead of the game''.

|The NFU president will be taking part in a farmers' demonstration tomorrow outside the Newcastle hotel where the farm ministers are meeting.

The aim would be to show ministers the frustration felt by British farmers who have met all the criteria demanded of them and have still not seen any movement on lifting the ban.