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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) and the relevant authorities of the United Kingdom recently reviewed the arrangements for exporting UK frozen or chilled beef to Hong Kong.
"Both sides agreed that the CFS would with immediate effect process applications for UK beef import under a phased approach.
"At the initial stage, only boneless beef cuts excluding offal from cattle less than 30 months old are allowed to be imported from United Kingdom. Each and every consignment of boneless beef products must have the CFS's prior written permission and be accompanied by a health certificate," a CFS spokesman said today (June 1).
"We will closely monitor the situation and review our import requirements as and when necessary."
The United Kingdom has not exported any frozen or chilled beef to Hong Kong since the detection of cases of BSE in the country in March 1996.
Ends/Monday, June 1, 2009
Issued at HKT 19:09
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