ISDS Case Map
food safety | SPS
In the food safety arena, both the US and the EU are pressing their standards on other countries through bilateral free trade agreements.
South Korean police clashed violently with protesters opposing US beef imports in Seoul, leaving more than 100 people injured
South Korea's opposition parties declared the official announcement to resume imports of US beef null and void and launched a series of campaigns to have it withdrawn. Opposition party members have also proposed plans to hold a national referendum on the beef agreement and plan to seek other forms of legal action against it.
Militant protesters blocked trucks from leaving warehouses for a second day on Friday as South Korea resumed quarantine checks on US beef imports, moving to bring the product to market for the first time in nine months.
On June 25, the Humane Society released a new investigative report showing extremely sick dairy cows being dragged and shocked in order to move them into an auction ring in the United States
Protests erupt across South Korea with 100 arrests made, potential for clashes at cold storage warehouses increases
South Korea will resume US beef imports from Thursday after securing extra safeguards, officials said, prompting calls for fresh anti-mad cow rallies which have brought thousands on to the streets.
US Senator Max Baucus says there's no scientific proof for Korea's claim that beef from older cattle pose a health risk. Other senators echoed his words adding that the latest moves could bring difficulties to passing the bilateral free trade deal.
"Whenever the negotiations went against us or whenever the US side cited 'science' (to emphasize that US beef is scientifically safe), we pointed to the photo [of the June 10 candlelight vigil in downtown Seoul, with the largest number of protesters] and said, 'Look at this. Do you think this can be explained with science?' "
While the Korean government claims it has made a “better-than-expected achievement” through additional negotiations between South Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon and US Trade Representative Susan Schwab over import terms for US beef, it hasn't been enough to defuse public fears over the safety of the American meat.
