Europe Will Ban Hormone-Treated U.S. Meat

The European Economic Community said today that a ban on the imports of hormone-treated meat from the United States will go into effect Jan. 1.

The ban, the implementation of which was postponed for one year at the request of the United States, could provoke a trade war with Washington.

EEC spokesman Nicolas Wegter said the 12-nation EEC would agree to international arbitration of the dispute with the United States only if consumer-related arguments as well as scientific ones are taken into account.

The ban legislated by the EEC would affect $170 million in U.S. meat exports. This does not include about $72 million in horse meat, which is not treated with hormones.

“We don’t care what the Americans want for their consumers,” Wegter said. “Our legislation goes into effect and we will apply it.”

The United States insists that hormones used on animals do not leave residues that are harmful to humans. Some European scientists have concurred, while others have argued that the hormones can cause cancer.

The United States could retaliate against the meat ban with one of its own against European meat exports, which consist mostly of high quality items like Danish ham.