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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has no plans to ban imports of Chinese seafood despite a U.S. ban on shipments of farm-raised catfish, shrimp and other seafood from the Asian country, a spokesman for the EU's health chief said.
The EU said it was increasing controls on Chinese food imports last week after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it would not allow imports of the Chinese seafood until suppliers proved shipments were free from harmful residues.
"We are happy these controls meet the necessary requirements so, no, we do not plan to ban Chinese seafood," Philip Tod, spokesman for EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou, said on Tuesday.
"We will of course continue to analyze and monitor the situation and carry out regular reviews."
However, Tod confirmed an increase in the number of food products imported into the EU from China found to contain dangerous veterinary residues reported in the last year.
"Last year there were three cases, this year so far there are nine. We have noted this lapse...and they have told us they intend to rectify the situation immediately," Tod said.
A top U.S. FDA official visiting Brussels late on Monday, said the ban would remain in place "in the short term."
"This is a short-term solution to what has been a long-term problem and it needs to be sorted out once and for all. The Chinese authorities have told us they are working hard to do just that," Andrew C. von Eschenbach, U.S. Commissioner for Food and Drugs, told Reuters.
The U.S. FDA said there was no immediate threat to the public because the seafood contained low levels of the substances, but serious health problems could emerge if the products were consumed over long periods.
Catfish, basa, shrimp, dace and eel will not be allowed into the United States from China until the importer can show products meet U.S. requirements and safety standards.
U.S. officials have uncovered a series of unsafe products imported from China, including a discovery of melamine, a chemical used in plastics and fertilizer, in U.S. pet food, killing animals and prompting wide recalls earlier this year.
The EU banned all imports of Chinese seafood in 2002 over similar concerns, before lifting the embargo two years later after the Chinese government agreed to implement stricter testing.
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