World body rejects EU ban on US hormone-treated beef

THE European Commission hopes to appeal the ruling yesterday by a scientific panel of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against its ban on US hormone- treated beef.

The Commission has 41 days to lodge an appeal to the WTO's disputes settlement body.either to lilt the ban or pay compensation to the US which the latter has estimated at more than

A spokesman for the Commission, Mr Gerry Kiely, claimed that the panel had failed to take into account much of the evidence presented to it by the EU.

Of particular concern was the ruling that the onus under WTO rules was on the Union to establish that a product it was concerned about was dangerous before a ban could be imposed. Mr Kiely said that such a ruling flew in the face of the precautionary principle.

The Commission is also worried that the ruling may undermine an acceptance by the WTO rules that individual countries should have the right to set their own standards.

Apart from scientific concerns EU agriculture officials are concerned that if the ruling is upheld it could result in a flood of US beef on to the depressed EU market. It might also reignite a public debate about the safety of beef at a time when producers were beginning to sense a return of confidence by consumers.

French officials have argued that the ban should be kept in place, whether or not this results in fines.