general import restrictions due to bse in june 2004 the european communities raised concerns about unjustified import restrictions on ec exports due to concerns about bse. to satisfy consumer demands the european communities had adopted comprehensive measures to address risks relating to bse. these measures applied both to products intended for consumption within the european communities and to those destined for export. the system of geographical assessment used in the european communities had successfully identified countries in which the disease was still present. the european communities called on other countries to replace import bans which exceeded oie recommendations and yet did not fully address potential internal risks with specific import requirements in accordance with oie standards. many products such as semen embryos and dairy products could be traded with predefined guarantees. members were urged to take into consideration oie recommendations for international trade and to sto discriminating among members with similar bse conditions. in october 2004 the united states also raised concerns on this issue by noting that some members were reviewing their import restrictions on us beef and also urged all those members who had not done so to align their regulations in accordance with oie standards. canada recalled that at its last meeting the oie had reconfirmed that some products such as semen embryos hides and milk did not contribute to the transmission of bse. hence the imports of these types of products did not provide a potential pathway for introduction of the disease. in october 2004 the european communities informed the committee that several wto members had reviewed their bans on ec beef and small bovine ruminant products and replaced them with specific requirements in accordance with oie standards. the european communities urged all those members who had not yet done so to align their regulations in accordance with oie standards. the united states noted that some members were reviewing their import restrictions on us beef and also urged all those members who had not done so to align their regulations in accordance with oie standards. in june 2005 the european communities reported that the number of countries that had lifted their respective bans on ec bovines and bovine products in accordance with oie standards had been regularly growing including also non-members of the wto. according to the revised bse chapter of the terrestrial animal health code many bovine derived products including deboned skeletal muscle and blood products could be safely traded regardless of the bse status of the exporting country. the european communities invited the remaining wto members to replace their import bans with specific import requirements in accordance with oie standards. in february 2007 the united states expressed concern that us ruminant and non-ruminant products continued to face bse-related restrictions. although there had been some progress and a number of members had removed measures us products continued to face overly restrictive measures which exceeded the oie standards. the united states had undertaken extensive surveillance and put in place interlocking safeguards nonetheless many restrictions remained in place. the united states asked members to review the evidence now available and to revise their requirements accordingly. in october 2008 the european communities recalled the concerns previously raised by canada regarding koreas restriction on beef imports. the european communities also had concerns regarding restrictions maintained by other wto members on beef exported from the european communities even though these beef products were considered safe and in compliance with the bse chapter of the oie terrestrial animal health code. canada shared the ec concerns and asked members to base their measures on the bse chapter provisions of oie terrestrial animal health code. in may 2007 canada was officially re