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European Union | New EU Members Will Impose EU Regulations On Imports | Ten n...

Published: Aug 29, 2003

European Union

New EU Members Will Impose EU Regulations On Imports

Ten nations (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) will join the EU in May, 2004. The ten accession nations will begin to impose new regulations on beef and pork imports as early as September of this year. USMEF and its members are working on a few major issues with regard to these ten nations.

The ten nations will add more than 100 million consumers to the EU.

Poland is of primary importance to beef exporters. Poland imports a total of approximately 20,000 mt of beef tripe (80 containers per month) with the U.S. being the major supplier. Without a derogation, or exception, in advance to continue to import this product, the U.S. will lose one of its largest markets for beef tripe when Poland implements EU regulations.

There have been several attempts to gain a derogation for U.S. beef tripe into Poland. The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in Warsaw has had numerous contacts with the Polish government. APHIS and FSIS have also been in contact with the government, and USMEF has made personal contact with the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) and the Department of European Integration (Poland) to seek a derogation. In Poland, Mr. Samonek of Poland Services is coordinating a request to the government from importers and users of tripe.

It is important that exporters contact importers in Poland and be sure they contact the CVO and the Dept of European Integration and ask that U.S. tripe be allowed to continue to enter the market. USMEF will work with NCBA and AMI to push the U.S. government to continue to seek a derogation.

Please be sure to copy USMEF (Richard Fritz, rfritz@usmef.org and Jackie Hruby, jhruby@usmef.org) on any correspondence with Poland in this regard. Time is of the essence if we want to preserve this trade.

Several of these nations will not be required to have all of their meat processing facilities attain EU standards prior to accession. The additional time many processors have to upgrade their facilities will allow them to sell product within their country borders but not within the EU community.

Agreed transition periods per country for meat establishments are:

Poland        332 (est.) meat establishments until December 2007

Czech Rep.   44 meat establishments until December 2006

Hungary        44 meat establishments until December 2006

Latvia            77 meat establishments until January 2006

Lithuania       14 meat establishments until January 2007

Slovakia        1 meat establishment until December 2006

The ten acceding nations will adopt an illegal hormone ban against U.S. beef products and any pork exports must also comply with current EU requirements.

European Union

New EU Members Will Impose EU Regulations On Imports

Ten nations (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) will join the EU in May, 2004. The ten accession nations will begin to impose new regulations on beef and pork imports as early as September of this year. USMEF and its members are working on a few major issues with regard to these ten nations.

The ten nations will add more than 100 million consumers to the EU.

Poland is of primary importance to beef exporters. Poland imports a total of approximately 20,000 mt of beef tripe (80 containers per month) with the U.S. being the major supplier. Without a derogation, or exception, in advance to continue to import this product, the U.S. will lose one of its largest markets for beef tripe when Poland implements EU regulations.

There have been several attempts to gain a derogation for U.S. beef tripe into Poland. The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in Warsaw has had numerous contacts with the Polish government. APHIS and FSIS have also been in contact with the government, and USMEF has made personal contact with the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) and the Department of European Integration (Poland) to seek a derogation. In Poland, Mr. Samonek of Poland Services is coordinating a request to the government from importers and users of tripe.

It is important that exporters contact importers in Poland and be sure they contact the CVO and the Dept of European Integration and ask that U.S. tripe be allowed to continue to enter the market. USMEF will work with NCBA and AMI to push the U.S. government to continue to seek a derogation.

Please be sure to copy USMEF (Richard Fritz, rfritz@usmef.org and Jackie Hruby, jhruby@usmef.org) on any correspondence with Poland in this regard. Time is of the essence if we want to preserve this trade.

Several of these nations will not be required to have all of their meat processing facilities attain EU standards prior to accession. The additional time many processors have to upgrade their facilities will allow them to sell product within their country borders but not within the EU community.

Agreed transition periods per country for meat establishments are:

Poland        332 (est.) meat establishments until December 2007

Czech Rep.   44 meat establishments until December 2006

Hungary        44 meat establishments until December 2006

Latvia            77 meat establishments until January 2006

Lithuania       14 meat establishments until January 2007

Slovakia        1 meat establishment until December 2006

The ten acceding nations will adopt an illegal hormone ban against U.S. beef products and any pork exports must also comply with current EU requirements.