The Center for Food Safety (CFS) of Hong Kong Tuesday announced that the relaxation of the import control on beef from Canada would be advanced to the second phase under an agreement with the Canadian authorities with immediate effect.

"According to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), Canada was recognized as having a Controlled Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Risk status. As such, the CFS has started to relax the import control on Canadian beef using a phased approach," said a spokesman for CFS.

In the first phase, beef rib cuts and other bone-in products (except vertebral column cuts) from cattle less than 30 months old are allowed to be imported from Canada. More than 200 tons of bone- in beef products have been inspected and found to have met the city's import requirements since the implementation of the first phase on March 9, 2009.

For the second phase, import of boneless beef, beef rib cuts and other bone-in products (except vertebral column cuts) from cattle of age 30 months or more, as well as tails and offals will also be accepted. Each consignment of beef products must have the CFS's prior written permission and be accompanied by a health certificate.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and review our import requirements as and when necessary," he said.

Source: Xinhua