April 10, 2009
Canada to request WTO consultations over Korean beef ban
Canada on Thursday (Apr 9) called on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to begin consultations to address South Korea's continuing ban on Canadian beef, a minister said.
Stockwell Day, Canadian minister of international trade, said Canada launched this action because they were unable to resolve this issue and reopen South Korea's market to Canadian beef through negotiations.
Day said they are taking the necessary steps to defend Canadian beef producers as South Korea represents a key market for them.
South Korea banned Canadian beef imports in May 2003 after Canada confirmed its first mad cow disease case. The two countries had a series of talks on lifting the ban on Canadian beef last year, but efforts were dampened in November when Canada reported its 15th case of mad cow disease.
South Korea's livestock quarantine consultation committee, made up of representatives of local meat producers, consumer groups and academics, said the Korean government should be cautious about reopening its market to Canadian beef due to a high rate of reported mad cow disease cases in Canada.
