China stuck to its position of imposing new requirements on pork imports from several European countries Wednesday, following a meeting between the European Union's health chief and Chinese food safety officials in the Chinese capital.
Last week, China announced new measures on imports of pork from four EU states -- Denmark, France, Italy and Spain -- as well as Canada, requiring certification that the animals used for the meat were free of the H1N1 influenza virus. Pork imports from Northern Ireland were earlier subject to restrictions.
The EU opposes the measures because they impose additional costs on exporters, and it says its pork products are safe.
"In the whole of the European Union, we only had a case in a particular farm in Northern Ireland of the H1N1 virus and we have taken very strict measures regarding the biosecurity of that farm," said EU health and food safety commissioner Androulla Vassiliou. She cited a May 2009 joint declaration by the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organization for Animal health stating that H1N1 is not transmitted through the consumption of pork.
"What we are interested in is that the importation of pork will not be restricted, because there is no danger," said Ms. Vassiliou
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