China has lifted a ban on imports of mould-ripened cheese after lobbying from the EU, causing jubilation among the country’s mostly expatriate consumers of Brie, Camembert and Roquefort.
The restrictions on mould-ripened varieties began in Shanghai in late July before spreading to other cities. They also ruled out imports of Italian Gorgonzola, apparently on the grounds that bacteria in the products could be harmful to health.
The ban was lifted following meetings between European Commission staff and Chinese quarantine and food safety officials “allowing trade to resume immediately”, the EU’s China delegation said in a statement. It described China’s cheese standards as “outdated”, adding the EU delegation and the French embassy in China would organise a seminar with Chinese cheese experts “thus limiting the risk of such events re-occurring in the future”.