EU, US complain against India on import curbs on pigs, pork

The European Union and the US have complained to the WTO that India's restrictions on imports of pigs and pork in the wake of the H1N1 influenza pandemic are unjustified.

"On the bird flu, the EU and US continued to complain that India’s restrictions on pigs and pigmeat are unjustified scientifically," the WTO said in the minutes of its meeting of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures in Geneva on June 23.

However, India responded by stating that "it has scientific evidence of the risk" in pigs and pork from the US and EU.

India also been affected by swine flu, which first broke out in Mexico and the US, and several cases have been reported from various parts of the country. The World Health Organisation has reported 6,497 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection in 33 countries.

Earlier this month, India had banned the import of live poultry, meat and meat products, hatching eggs and egg products, live pig and pig products, and poultry from countries reporting avian influenza.

The EU had asked India to lift the "unjustified ban" since the influenza is not present in its territory.