ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 2, 1997 TAG: 9704020043
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman announced retaliatory action Tuesday against the European Union for imposing food inspection standards that threaten as much as $700million in American meat, dairy and poultry exports.
U.S. and EU negotiators, meeting in Washington, failed to reach agreement on common food safety criteria by Tuesday, when the new European standards took effect. As a result, U.S. exports will have to pass more rigorous inspections.
A USDA official said it was too early to determine the overall effect. He said $50 million in poultry, $6 million in egg products and $30 million in dairy commodities likely will be affected immediately.
EU spokesman Gerard Kiely said in Brussels, Belgium, that as much as $700 million a year in American animal product exports eventually could be disrupted by the new European food safety criteria, which are stricter than U.S. standards.
``If they can't meet our standards, trade will be affected,'' he said.
U.S. officials contend food is just as safe under USDA standards as under those in Europe.
Glickman acknowledged the new European requirements will hurt U.S. exports.
``In addition, any opportunity to expand U.S. red meat exports ... has, for the time being, been lost,'' he said. ``Under these circumstances, as previously announced, the United States as of April 1 will begin to implement a system that will require EU meat exports to comply with U.S. inspection requirements.''
``This may have an adverse affect on EU meat exports to this market,'' Glickman said.
A USDA official said as many as 100 EU processing plants may be subject to U.S. inspections before their products are permitted to enter the United States. Exports by the 15-nation EU to the United States exceed $300 million annually.
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