Embassy Sections

Foreign Agricultural Service

Current Issues

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)

Information about the disease and its prevention by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

U.S.–EU Agriculture Issues

A review of the issues by the U.S. Mission to the European Union.

Food Safety

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the public health agency covering meat, poultry and egg products.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The Bioterrorism Act of 2002
· Registration of Food Facilities Exporting to the USA
· Prior Notice of Imported Food Shipments, including private mail containing food items
Both are accessible through the FDA Industry Systems (FIS) web site.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Food Safety page

Food Safety (update on the European Food Safety Authority - EFSA)

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopaties (TSE Regulations)

Animal By-Products Legislation

U.S.-EU Hormone Dispute: A Primer on Beef Hormones

Chronology of the European Union’s Hormone Ban

General information on the U.S.-EU Hormone Dispute

European Union Commission, DG-24, Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health – Assessment of potential risks to human health from hormone residues in bovine meat and meat products (30 April 1999)

WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement