March 23, 2009
US and EU close to resolving beef trade dispute
The US and the EU are close to resolving an ongoing dispute over EU barriers to US beef, but more talks are required, an EU official said Thursday (Mar 19).
EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton said she is optimistic that technical and legal officials could work out two or three outstanding questions to produce an agreement on beef, a sticking point in the EU-US trade relationship for more than 20 years.
In 1988, the EU banned imports of beef from cattle fed with growth hormones, a common practice in the US, Canada and other countries, over health concerns.
The World Trade Organisation allowed the US and Canada to apply retaliatory sanctions on EU products over the ban, which the WTO said is not supported by scientific studies.
The US had intended to rotate the list of products facing the tariffs, but had delayed the implementation due to pending talks about a possible resolution.
On the EU side, the European Commission has offered to allow more imports of US beef raised without hormones at a preferential tariff.
US and EU officials will discuss technical details of the possible deal this week, said David O'Sullivan, EU director general for trade.
Ashton and US Trade Representative Ron Kirk also issued a joint statement saying that the US and the EU were committed to an ambitious and balanced conclusion to world trade talks as soon as possible.
