Brussels, 13/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 13 July, the Council of Ministers of the EU adopted without debate the regulation which will make it possible, from 1 August, to open up a new preferential quota for imports into the EU of 20,000 tonnes of high-quality fresh, refrigerated or deep-frozen bovine meat without hormones (EUROPE 9938). This regulation is designed to make it possible to increase imports into the EU of meat, particularly American meat, and comes as part of an agreement to put an end to a conflict between the Europeans and Americans over hormone-treated beef. In return for this additional quota, the United States has undertaken to reduce the level of sanctions applicable to a range of European agricultural products.
On 6 July, the Special Agriculture Committee (SAC) examined the European Commission's proposal (which was put forward in June). In general, the experts of the member states took the view that the text would help to improve commercial relations between the United States and the Community, but a number of delegations nonetheless stressed that this type of measure should not be taken as a precedent. (L.C./transl.fl)