US wants beef from the European Union again

Brussels - The US wants to decontrol most of the restrictions on the import of beef and veal from the European Union. That is shown in a Bill announced in Washington. It decontrols the restrictions on import that has anything to do with the mad cow disease.

The proposals are welcomed in The Netherlands. Especially the veal export would benefit from the lifting of the restrictions. Yet there is still some caution. For example, VanDrie Group expects that resumption of the import of a series of European agricultural products in the US will cost some time. Reason is that an addition of European products can be politically sensitive in the US agricultural lobby, especially in a year with presidential elections.

The next two months opportunity for comment on the bill is possible, but it looks like there will be an end after many years of import restrictions on beef from the European Union which went much further than the World Organisation for animal health (OIE) provides. According to European and Dutch experts that has also to do with the hormone meat quarrel that also plays around by the issue.

A spokesman for EU agricultural Commissioner Dacian Ciolos says that the European Commission welcomes the proposals. ”The new import requirements of the US are in general the same as the requirements of the OIE. The Commission looks forward to the resumption of the export of beef and beef products to the US who wrongly refused this since 1997. EU Commissioner Ciolos has discussed the issue several times with his US colleagues. He mentioned the Bill a significant step. The Commission is now studying the contents of the Bill. The European Commission will only consider the issue as resolved on the day that beef really will go on transport towards the US without restrictions.

According to insiders in Brussels and Washington particularly the United Kingdom, Ireland an The Netherlands have good credentials to start soon with the export to the United States. Beside Dutch veal, Irish veal is also mentioned as a favourable product. These three countries fulfil also other criteria for animal health and food safety, considers the Aphis, the inspection of animal- and plant health of the US Department of agriculture.

Boerderij Vandaag – March 13th 2012