Swine flu alert prompts pork import bans

By Jonathan Lynn

GENEVA (Reuters) - Outbreaks of swine flu have prompted several countries to ban the import of pig meat, raising the prospect the disease will add a further protectionist blow to sagging world trade.

International trade rules allow countries to restrict or ban imports for health and safety reasons -- but this has to be based on scientific evidence.

"It's not supposed to be an unjustifiable barrier to trade," Stuart Harbinson, senior trade policy advisor at law firm Winston & Strawn and former chairman of agriculture negotiations at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), told Reuters.

Confirmed outbreaks of swine flu in Mexico, where it has killed 103 people, the United States, Canada and Spain have prompted health authorities to put customs officers on alert.

Cases of the flu, which has components of classic avian, human and swine flu viruses but has not actually been seen in pigs, were also suspected in Britain, France, Italy and Israel.

On Sunday Russia banned imports of all meat not treated thermally from Mexico, Texas, California and Kansas, and raw pork imports from 8 other U.S. states, Central America and the Caribbean.

China, the world's largest pork consumer, also banned imports of live pigs and pork products from Mexico, Texas, California and Kansas.

The United Arab Emirates is considering banning imports of pork products from Mexico and the United States.