UK backs US over hormones

13 June 2000



UK backs US over hormones

FARM minister Nick Brown has called for firm scientific evidence to justify the EU ban on North American hormone-treated beef.

The European Commission proposes a permanent ban, but the UK says its scientists have not produced new evidence to justify this.

Britain signalled that it would continue to side with the US and Canada in the 12-year dispute.

The US introduced punitive 100% tariffs on selected EU products in protest at the ban, but significantly UK goods were not included.

Mr Browns support for the US means when the carousel tariffs are rotated Britain is still unlikely to face retaliation

Mr Brown said: Unless new evidence is made available for a full evaluation by independent UK experts, the position of the UK government is unchanged.

We do not accept that the scientific case for a ban has been made.

Meanwhile, the British cashmere industry could be hit with punitive tariffs by the US in its long-running dispute with the EU over bananas, reports The Guardian.