Canada-Beef for Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong government (HKG) issued a press release on March 9, 2009 announcing that the Center of Food Safety (CFS) will resume processing import applications for Canadian bone-in beef with immediate effect. All non-vertebral (e.g. rib and shoulder cuts) bone-in cuts from cattle less than 30 months old are allowed to be imported from Canada. The press release stated that Hong Kong is taking this decision as a result of Canada’s implementation of enhanced control measures against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). All Canadian plants which are currently cleared to export boneless beef to Hong Kong are automatically eligible to export bone-in beef to Hong Kong.

Unlike the Canadian press release that was issued on January 16, 2009 on this subject, the Hong Kong statement did not discuss subsequent phases of the market opening that would include offals and vertebral column cuts. It simply said "We will closely monitor the situation and review our import requirements as and when necessary."

The HKG banned the entry of Canadian beef since May 2003, after the detection of a case of BSE in Alberta, Canada. The ban on import of boneless beef from Canada was lifted in November 2004. The HKG conducted a plant audit visit in September 2007 as part of its requirement to open its market to Canadian bone-in beef.

Following the Canadian Agriculture Minister’s visit to Hong Kong in January 2009, the Canadian government issued a press release on January 16 announcing that Canada and Hong Kong reached an agreement in-principle that would open the market to Canadian bone-in beef in three phases. According to the statement, phase I expands access from the current "boneless under 30 months (UTM)" to allow entry of all bone-in beef from cattle UTM, except vertebral column cuts (i.e. T-bones). Phase I will be concluded following successful shipments of a minimum of twelve consignments and twelve tons, and a minimum of two-to-four months. Phase II eliminates age restrictions on ribs and boneless beef, and also grants access to offals from cattle of any age. Following a three-to-six month period of smooth imports of Phase II products, the Phase III addition of T-bones from animals UTM will be added.

Despite Canada having more recent and more numerous cases of BSE than the U.S, the Hong Kong market remains closed to all U.S. boneless beef.