In 2009, the European Union and the United States concluded an agreement, revised in 2014, which provided for an interim solution to their long-standing WTO dispute regarding the use of certain growth-promoting hormones in beef production.
Under the agreement, a 45,000-tonnes quota of non-hormone produced beef is open by the EU to qualifying suppliers, which include the United States.
The annual use of quota over the period in question, as per information from the European Commission covering the period 2009 to 2019, is in the table, and is correct to the 3 March 2019. The detail on the specific country breakdown and monetary value of these imports is not available.
Quota period
|
Quantity used (tonnes)
|
Quantity available (tonnes)
|
% of use
|
2009-2010
|
9,823
|
20,000
|
49%
|
2010-2011
|
19,141
|
20,000
|
96%
|
2011-2012
|
20,000
|
20,000
|
100%
|
2012-2013
|
32,322
|
45,975
|
70%
|
2013-2014
|
41,167
|
48,200
|
85%
|
2014-2015
|
47,399
|
48,200
|
98%
|
2015-2016
|
48,003
|
48,200
|
99,6%
|
2016-2017
|
48,200
|
48,200
|
100%
|
2017-2018
|
45,175
|
45,711
|
99%
|
2018-2019*
|
33,344
|
45,000
|
74%
|