Japan lifts ban on imports of Italian beef
EU News 172/2016
19/05/2016
After 15 years, Japan lifted an embargo on Italian beef, following an earlier opening of its market to beef products from other EU Member States (France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark and Sweden).
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Japan introduced an import ban on beef from the EU in 2001, referring to an alleged risk of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). This measure went beyond the international standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and did not take into account the stringent control and surveillance measures in place in the European Union guaranteeing the safety of European beef and beef products.
Source and additional information:
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/newsroom/277_en.htm