Australia and other beef exporters are concerned a deal settling a dispute over an EU ban on imports of hormone-treated beef has been slanted to favour U. S. suppliers.
Raising the question unexpectedly at a meeting of the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement body Oct. 23, Australia said it welcomed assurances from Brussels that a new EU import quota for high-quality beef, at the centre of the deal, was non-discriminatory and was open to all countries.
“We note, however, that to date only the U. S. has secured access to the quota and has commenced exporting.
New Zealand, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina then made similar statements.
The United States and European Union agreed in May to end their two-decades-long row over an EU ban on hormone-treated beef by increasing the European quota for other beef.
