Press Release - May 21, 2003

In view of the Alberta mad cow issue, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (May 21) temporarily suspended the import of beef from Canada. This is a precautionary measure to protect local food safety and public health.

"Following the announcement yesterday (May 20) by their Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister of Canada's first confirmed local case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), FEHD immediately informed the Canadian Government via their local Consulate our decision to suspend the import of Canadian beef and beef products into Hong Kong temporarily. This is in accordance with recommendations laid down by the leading international authority, Office International Des Epizooties (OIE), also known as World Organisation for Animal Health," said a spokesman of FEHD.

"We welcome the Canadian Government's transparent approach in handling the incident and are also in agreement with their control and preventive measures generally. Hence, we think it necessary to halt the import of Canadian beef and beef products so as to allow time for the Canadian authority to carry out investigation, remedial and preventive jobs," the spokesman added.

"Meanwhile, there is no evidence to suggest that Canadian beef still on sale in the local market is unsafe as the Alberta incident appears to be an isolated case and beef already arrived has been certified by the Canadian authority to be originated from BSE-free cattle and is fit for human consumption," the spokesman emphasized.

"FEHD will be working closely with the Canadian authority and the local Consulate to ensure best management of the issue."

For more information, please contact:
John Tam, Chief Information Officer of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at: (416) 924-5544 or email: [email protected] or Elison Chu, Senior Information Officer, [email protected].