US Ends 15 Year EU Beef Import Ban

Over the last week the US ended its 15 year ban on beef imports from the EU that had been imposed because of concerns over BSE.

The ban had remained in place because of continued concerns about the safety of beef products from some European countries, despite the fact that several of them help the same BSE risk status as the US itself. – a status of negligible risk according to the standards drawn up by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

Other European countries, including major beef exporting nations such as the UK, Ireland, France and Germany had also seen their risk status reduced from the height of the BSE crisis in the early 1990s to having a controlled BSE risk.

This is the same status that has been allocated to Canada, which has been regularly trading with the US in beef and cattle over the 15 year period.

Dr John Clifford, APHIS Deputy Administrator and Chief Veterinary Officer said: “This action will bring our BSE import regulations in line with international standards, which call for countries to base their trade policies on the actual risk of animals or products harbouring the disease.

“Making these changes will further demonstrate to our trading partners our commitment to international standards and sound science, and we are hopeful it will help open new markets and remove remaining restrictions on U.S. products.”

The European Commission has welcomed the move.

“This will mean that EU beef and other bovine products will again be allowed for US export. The US market has been closed since January 1998 when the US imposed a ban on EU beef on BSE grounds,” the European Commission said.

“The re-opening is a welcome, albeit late, step to abolish the unjustified ban and to re-establish normal trading conditions.”

In the US there are continuing concerns over the introduction of new poultry meat inspections practices.

The concerns raised by the inspectors union as well as welfare groups are that the new measures will compromise food safety and with higher line speeds will also compromise animal welfare.

However, the new systems have received the approval of the National Chicken Council which
said: "FSIS has guidelines and directives setting humane slaughter requirements under the Poultry Products Inspection Act and chicken processors strictly adhere to the National Chicken Council Animal Welfare Guidelines and Audit Checklist.”