U.S. Resists Border Measures for Swine Flu, Wants Import Bans Lifted

(World Trade Interactive)

More countries have imposed import restrictions this week due to concerns about the spread of the H1N1 strain of influenza. U.S. officials, however, have decried such moves and said they have no intention of imposing border measures of their own at this point.

According to press reports, a growing number of countries have taken steps to restrict pork imports to date. Russia has banned imports of various pork products from a handful of U.S. states as well as Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador. China is prohibiting pork imports from Mexico and at least three U.S. states. The United Arab Emirates and Suriname have banned all pork imports, while Thailand, Indonesia, Ukraine and Honduras have blocked some or all pork from the U.S. specifically. Restrictions have also been imposed by Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

U.S. officials, however, have said such measures are unnecessary and may violated global trade rules. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack pointed out that what has been called “swine flu” is in fact a virus that affects humans and has not been detected in pigs. Read more here.