Imported beef products: suspension extended

Abstract

Because of concerns about the link between BSE-infected British beef and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) in humans, importation into Australia of specified foods that contained British beef has been banned since 1996. As a precaution, because it is becoming clearer now that more countries in Europe may be affected by BSE in their cattle, the Federal Government has announced (Media Release, 5 January 2001) that it has decided to suspend temporarily the importation of foods containing beef or beef products from other countries in Europe.