Trade war looms over beef

29 April 1999

Trade war looms over beef

EUROPE is heading for a new trade war with the United States after a committee of veterinary scientists in Brussels decided to ban all imports of US beef.

Brussels announced yesterday that it will ban all beef imports from the USA by 15 June unless the meat is proved to be free of artificial hormones.

The move is likely to generate a strong US response, say various broadsheet newspapers today.

Washington is already threatening action over an existing European ban on imports of hormone-tested beef which the World Trade Organisation has declared illegal.

The decision to ban all beef originating from the USA will affect some £12 million-worth of US exports, including £3.8m of US beef sold to Britain.

Tests by European scientists revealed that 12% of beef sold as hormone-free contained residues of artificial growth hormones, alleged to be carcinogens.

Franz Fischler, the European Union farm commissioner, said Europe was acting to protect consumer health and was ready to work the USA to resolve the problem.

• Europe to ban American beef, FWi, yesterday (28 April, 1999)
• Green plan to defuse hormone beef row?, FWi, yesterday (28 April, 1999)
• EU vets vote on US beef ban, FWi, 27 April, 1999
• Beef and bananas on Luxembourg menu, FWi, 26 April, 1999
• Hormone beef ban provocative, FWi, 23 April, 1999
  
• Europe plans to ban all US beef, FWi, 22 April, 1999

• Pressure builds for hormone beef imports, FWi, 08 April, 1999
• USA names targets in hormone-beef war, FWi, 26 March, 1999
  

• The Times 29/04/02/99 page 2
  
• The Independent 29/04/02/99 page 5
  
• Financial Times 29/04/99 page 8
  
• The Guardian 29/04/99 page 27
  
• The Daily Telegraph 29/04/99 page 20
  
• The Herald 29/04/99 page 2