Del.icio.us  Digg  facebook  MySpace  Twitter  Google  Bookmark Me  LinkedIn  StumbleUpon  Permalink

Taiwan Legislature Bans Import of Some U.S. Beef

The Taiwanese Legislative Yuan has approved the measure that was proposed last week to amend the "Protocol of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy-Related Measures for the Importation of Beef and Beef Products for Human Consumption from the Territory of the Authorities Represented by the American Institute in Taiwan" to bar some U.S. beef and beef products from being imported. The protocol was negotiated in October and went into effect Nov. 2, 2009. Deputy United States Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis and Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Jim Miller issued a joint statement expressing their disappointment with the legislature's decision.

"As we noted in our statement on December 29, the FSA amendment's provisions do not have a basis in science and constitute a unilateral violation of a bilateral agreement concluded in good faith by the United States with Taiwan a little over two months ago," the statement said. "The protocol was negotiated on the basis of the guidelines laid out by the World Organization for Animal Health, as well as the findings of Taiwan's own risk assessment, which concluded that all U.S. beef and beef products are safe."

The statement went on to express the concerns that this action raises as to placing domestic politics over science. Also the credibility of Taiwan as a responsible trading partner and the challenges this decision will impose to conclude future agreements to expand and strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties was addressed.

"The decision to violate our bilateral agreement is particularly disappointing, as the United States has long been one of Taiwan's most important trade and investment partners, as well as the strongest supporter of Taiwan's active participation in the global trading system, including its membership in the World Trade Organization," the statement said. "In light of the continuing importance of our bilateral economic relationship, we urge Taiwan to honor its commitments and to implement the beef protocol as negotiated."