[Index]
INTERNATIONAL TRADING LANGUAGE FOR BOVINE
MEAT PRODUCTS
The UNECE announces adoption of an international trading language
for bovine meat products
Geneva, 4 May 2001
Meat products in international trade have to comply with a variety of
veterinary requirements to ensure that they are safe for consumption. However, even if
these requirements are fulfilled, international trade remains difficult due to the
different terminology and cuts descriptions used in each country.
The UNECE, through its Specialized Section on Standardization of Meat,
has prepared an international trading language for bovine meat products. This language
will enable buyer and seller to communicate better and thus facilitate trade.
The new UNECE bovine meat standard harmonizes existing national
commercial quality standards and codes used by major meat-producing nations around the
world. According to Chairman Barry L. Carpenter, "this new UNECE standard, if
generally used in trade, will facilitate the fair international trade of bovine meat
products and prevent technical barriers to trade, improve producers’ profitability
and encourage the production of high quality products, as well as protect the interests of
consumers worldwide".
In cooperation with EAN International (formerly European Article
Numbering Organisation, responsible for the definition of the bar codes contained on
almost every product in trade), the standard also defines a coding system which will allow
all relevant information defined in the standard to be easily transmitted electronically
and traced.
All major production/import regions (26 countries, among these,
Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina, Brazil, France, United Kingdom, Russian
Federation, United States) contributed to the development of the standard.
For more information, please contact:
Tom Heilandt
Economic Affairs Officer
Trade Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Telephone: (+ 41 22) 917 24 50
Telefax: (+ 41 22) 917 00 41
E-mail: [email protected]
Ref: ECE/TRADE/01/07