No Joy for Meat Producers in EU Retaliation

July 21,1999

The U.S. meat industry is not rejoicing over the $117 million in retaliatory tariffs imposed on European Union products. It is "the least desirable conclusion to this trade dispute." The retaliation is in response to the EU's unwillingness to lift its ban on beef imports from animals treated with growth hormones.

"Our objective throughout the World Trade Organization dispute settlement process has been to regain access to the European market," the American Meat Institute, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen's Beef Association and U.S. Meat Export Federation said in a statement. U.S. retaliation "demonstrates that there is a price to pay for maintaining illegal trade policies."

The groups plan to work with the Clinton Administration and Congress to ensure that the product list is revised using a "carousel" approach so that all EU member states are affected by the retaliation.