The World Trade Organization today ordered the United States to lift a 14- year ban on Argentina beef imports.
"It’s a huge victory for the country but also for Argentine cattle breeders who we expect they receive the news with joy,” Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman said during a press briefing held this morning at Government House.
Escorted by Agricultural Minister Carlos Casamiquela, Timerman added “Argentina has been unsuccessfully trying to persuade the US to lift trade barriers since 2003” so “we took the case to the WTO, which yesterday favoured Argentina.”
Minister Carlos Casamiquela had reported back in June Argentina lost $1.6 billion due to the ban imposed by the United States and said that the country has had disease-free meat since 2007.
During the press conference, Timerman also warned about a possible move by vulture funds in a legal fight against Argentina. "US cattle organizations and vulture funds constitute the largest lobby organization, called ATFA. There, they stand together with one goal: prevent Argentina from exporting beef to the US and pushing to avoid a fair and legal outcome of the external debt conflict," he stressed.