US considers EU dairy product ban

3 May 2001



US considers EU dairy product ban

By FWi staff

EU dairy products face being banned by the US in a move to prevent foot-and-mouth reaching the country.

EU officials told the Financial Times they believed the restrictions would be implemented by May 21.

But the US Department of Agriculture insists that no decision has been made.

Restrictions would primarily affect a variety of soft cheeses and casein a milk protein used in baking and other prepared foods.

If implemented, this would affect the $600m (420m) of EU exports, reports the FT.

The US is considering an EU request to limit restrictions to countries affected by foot-and-mouth.

Meanwhile, the same newspaper reports that Australia and New Zealand have called on the US to lift restrictions on their lamb imports.

The World Trade Organisation rejected an earlier US appeal against a ruling that it acted illegally in imposing the measures.

But the US sheep industry will press the US administration to keep the three-year tariff imposed in 1999 to safeguard against a serious threat from imports.

• New targets for US tariffs?, FWi, 10 February 2000
• British farmers escape US tariffs, FWi, 19 July 1999
  
• Financial Times 03 May 2001 page 10