Revised Memorandum of Understanding with the United States of America regarding the importation of beef from animals not treated with certain growth-promoting hormones

Summary:

Revised Memorandum of Understanding between the US and the EU setting out steps concerning the importation of high quality beef into the EU with the aim of settling the long-standing beef hormone dispute.

Further information:

In May 2009 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States of America and the European Commission was signed in Geneva. The MoU sets out different steps concerning the importation of beef not treated with growth-promoting hormones into the EU, as well as the imposition of trade sanctions by the US against EU products as part of the WTO dispute EC – Measures Concerning Meat and Meat Products (Hormones) (DS26).  These steps are grouped in three phases:

• Under Phase 1, from August 2009 to August 2012, the EU opened an autonomous tariff quota for 20,000 tons of "high quality beef" and the US reduced the level of sanctions applied to EU products.
• Under Phase 2, from 1 August 2012 to 1 August 2013, the EU opened a larger quota for 45,000 tons of high quality beef, and the US suspended all trade sanctions on EU products resulting from the beef hormone dispute.
• At this time there is no agreement to enter into Phase 3; however it is in the interest of the Union to extend Phase 2 of the MoU while continuing to seek the termination of the WTO dispute.

Following a review of the operation of Phase 2, the parties agreed to amend the MoU with a view to entering into Phase 3. The signature and conclusion of the revised MoU were proposed on 2 October 2013 by the European Commission. The signature was approved by on 18 October by Council Decision 2013/523/EU and the revised MoU was signed on 21 October. The conclusion of the MoU was approved on 28 January 2014 by Council Decision 2014/44/EU.

• Primary Source

Official

EUR-Lex: Official Journal, L282, 24/10/2013: Decision 2013/523/EU on the signing of the revised Memorandum of Understanding with the United States of America regarding the importation of beef from animals not treated with certain growth-promoting hormones https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2013.282.01.0035.01.ENG

EUR-Lex: Official Journal, L27, 30/01/2014: Decision 2014/44/EU on the conclusion of the revised Memorandum of Understanding with the United States of America regarding the importation of beef from animals not treated with certain growth-promoting hormones https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2014.027.01.0001.01.ENG

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