11.   Eleven European nations on Thursday banned ocean-dumping of obsolete oil and gas rigs.

12.   EU nations banned British beef exports a week later in a bid to prevent the disease, common in British herds, from tainting their own meat.

13.   He said nations must ban together to stabilize the region.

14.   Many nations ban imports from countries that vaccinate because inoculated animals are almost impossible to tell apart from livestock infected with the virus.

15.   Many nations have banned the suspect foods.

16.   Most EU nations ban smoking, or have strict restrictions on smoking, on public transport, in schools, sports halls, hospitals and meeting rooms.

17.   Most EU nations already ban tobacco ads and have backed the Commission proposal for years.

18.   Several EU nations have banned French beef imports, and scientists have reported the first cases of mad cow disease in cattle in Germany and Spain.

19.   Several EU nations ban imports of British beef.

20.   The ban would have little pragmatic effect, because many nations already ban British beef.