No opinion yet from EU group on Sweden's lobster ban request

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - An arm of the European Union has delayed issuing an opinion on a request from Sweden to deem American lobsters an invasive species in much of Europe.

Sweden wants the European Union to ban imports of live American lobsters into EU nations. Sweden says 32 of the crustaceans were found in the country's waters earlier this year, and that they are a threat to native crustaceans.

The European Union's Scientific Forum on Invasive Alien Species was expected to issue its opinion this week, but a spokesman says that's unlikely. The spokesman says the European Commission is still collecting opinions from members of the scientific forum.

The spokesman says the forum's issuance of an opinion will be only the first step in a long process.