Washington - The United States "would certainly respond" if the European Union continues to refuse to open its market to imports of beef from cattle that have received artificial growth hormones, a top U.S. trade official said Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters after a House Agriculture Committee hearing, Peter Scher, the United States's special ambassador for agricultural trade, said the United States has "a number of options" for responding if the EU continues to shirk its responsibility to open its market in response to a recent World Trade Organization panel ruling.
Scher declined to say just what action the United States might take but he said the U.S. Trade Representative's office is looking at options both under domestic trade law and rules of the WTO.
The European Union has interpreted the recent WTO ruling as giving it the right to conduct a risk assessment on the safety of eating hormone-treated beef. But the U.S. disputes that view and is calling for the EU to immediately drop its nine-year-old import ban.
Scher noted that the EU has not even committed yet to opening its market even if a risk assessment proves that eating hormone treated beef is safe.
What's at stake is the credibility of the WTO dispute settlement process, Scher said.
The U.S. contends there is no need for the EU to conduct a risk assessment because previous scientific studies have shown that eating hormone treated beef is safe.
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