Europe ends beef trade war with US, Canada

Europe ended Wednesday a two-decade beef trade war with the United States and Canada by increasing imports of high-quality meat while keeping a ban on hormone-treated beef. The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of a deal to resolve the dispute, which erupted in 1988 when Europe banned imports of beef products from animals that are given growth hormones. In retaliation, the United States and Canada, with the backing of the World Trade Organization, limited imports of certain EU products ranging from chocolate to cheese and mustard in 1999. The deal will see the 27-nation European Union increase imports of hormone-free US beef by 25,000 tonnes, bringing the annual total to 45,000 tonnes, and Canadian beef imports by 3,200 tonnes. The United States and Canada have already fulfilled their end of the bargain by lifting the sanctions on European products. The parliament voted 650 in favour, 11 against to endorse the 2009 agreement.