June 26, 2009

 
Canada has not made any official move to take South Korea to the World Trade Organisation's dispute body over beef imports, an official said.

 

The next step is for Canada to make on this matter, as it is the one who filed a petition to the WTO against South Korea's import ban on Canadian beef, said Kim Dong-hyun from the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

 

But Kim said South Korea is currently preparing measures for resuming Canadian beef imports before the matter was taken to the WTO dispute body.

 

This issue has to do with quarantine and food safety standards, so lifting the ban or not depends on the relevant authorities, according to Kim.

 

Canada wants a specific data as to when South Korea would reopen its beef market, while Seoul wants certain restrictions, such as an age limit of 30 months on cattle products.

 

Canada's Trade Vice Minister Louis Levesque and Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon met in Seoul earlier this month to discuss general trade matters, including the beef dispute.

 

Canada and South Korea are pursuing a free trade agreement but the official negotiation process is under temporary suspension, due to the ongoing ban and uncertain global economic conditions, according to South Korea's Trade Ministry.

 

Canada's intentions could be known by early July, as Ottawa would have to set up a dispute settlement panel about 10 days before the next WTO Dispute Settlement Body meeting on July 20.