Brussels, 29/01/2002 (Agence Europe) - The decision of the Union to impose a temporary embargo on animal products from China, for health reasons (see yesterday's edition of EUROPE page 12 and 26 January page 10), met a hostile reaction from the Chinese authorities, which are calling for the matter to be resolved in negotiations. According to press sources from Peking, this decision had been described as "unacceptable" as it has been unilaterally rushed through by the EU and risked seriously damaging bilateral trade relations.
Peking's spokesman on economic co-operation, the Minister for External Trade, described the Food and Veterinary Office Community Inspectors' report on which the decision was based, as having exaggerated the seriousness of certain problems. The Chinese believe that this decision contravenes multilateral trade regulation and intend to respond by applying WTO rules. Sources close to the European Commission affirm, however, that the Chinese authorities should not be surprised by the decision because it had been preceded by informal technical contacts between the Commission and China, which indicated that safeguards would be applied if shortcomings in the Chinese inspection system were identified and not corrected.
Formal adoption of the embargo decision is on the Commission's Wednesday agenda. The joint EU/China is coincidentally being held on the same day in Brussels and will provide the Chinese authorities with an opportunity to make their grievances known to the EU.