October 21, 2009

The recently signed South Korea-EU free trade agreement has OIE standards that will leave the Asian country little room to block questionable EU beef imports.

Once the FTA takes effect, European beef that has a higher risk for mad cow disease than US beef could be allowed into South Korea, according to a draft of the agreement.

The draft specifies that conditions can be applied in accordance with the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Agreement (SPS) and the standards and guidelines of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

The OIE has classified 16 nations as "controlled BSE risk" status, including the US, Great Britain, Spain and Ireland. South Korea would be unable to block beef imports from these countries.

More than 600 cases of mad cow disease have been reported in Europe since 2006. Another 18 were reported in 2009, seven of which were in Great Britain and six in Ireland. Both nations are members of the EU.

South Korea's government has announced the establishment of a litmus test for inspecting the quality of European beef. The government has added an additional clause in the FTA process, stating that beef exporting countries must offer evidence to the importing nation that can prove zero or low possibility of BSE.

An official with the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the agreement allows South Korea to carry out a direct investigation and apply import restrictions based on their findings if there is a problem with the quality of European beef.