Korea
– Import Bans, and Testing and Certification
Requirements
for Radionuclides
Report of the Panel
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Introduction.. 21
1.1
Complaint by Japan. 21
1.2
Panel establishment and composition. 21
1.3
Panel proceedings. 21
1.3.1
General 21
1.3.2
Request for enhanced third-party rights. 23
1.3.3
Consultation with experts and international organizations. 23
1.3.3.1
Panel's decision to consult experts. 23
1.3.3.2
Panel's selection of individual experts. 24
1.3.3.3
Panel's questions to the individual experts and the international organizations. 27
1.3.3.4
Panel meeting with the experts and the parties. 28
2 Factual aspects. 28
2.1
Radioactive contamination of food. 28
2.2
The health risks from exposure to ionizing radiation. 30
2.3
International response to radioactive contamination. 32
2.3.1 The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) 33
2.3.1.1
Codex guideline levels for radionuclides in foods contaminated following a
nuclear or radiological emergency in CODEX STAN 193-1995. 33
2.3.1.2
Potential revision of the Codex Radionuclide GLs. 36
2.3.2
The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation
(UNSCEAR) 37
2.3.3
The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 37
2.3.4
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 38
2.4
The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident 39
2.5
Radioactive contamination from the FDNPP. 41
2.5.1
The initial release. 41
2.5.1.1
Releases to the atmosphere. 42
2.5.1.2
Releases to the ocean. 43
2.5.1.3
Dispersion. 43
2.5.1.3.1
Atmospheric dispersion. 44
2.5.1.3.2
Ocean dispersion. 44
2.5.2
Releases after the initial accident 45
2.5.3
Radioactive material still in the reactor 46
2.6
Japan's response to the effect of the FNDPP accident on food. 47
2.7
Korea's response to the FDNPP accident 53
2.7.1
Pre-export certification requirements. 54
2.7.2
At-the-border testing for every consignment 55
2.7.3
Testing for additional radionuclides. 56
2.7.4
Expanded testing for additional radionuclides. 57
2.7.5
Caesium-134 and caesium-137 threshold levels. 57
2.7.6
Product-specific import bans. 58
2.7.7
Blanket import ban. 60
2.8 The measures Japan challenges. 62
3 Parties' requests for findings and
recommendations. 64
4 Arguments of the parties. 64
5 Arguments of the thiRd parties. 65
6 Interim review... 65
6.1
The purpose and scope of interim review.. 65
6.2
Descriptive part 66
6.3 Operation
of Korea's testing requirements. 68
6.4
Provisional measures. 69
6.5
Whether Korea's measures are more trade restrictive than required. 70
6.6
Non-discrimination. 74
6.7
Control, inspection and approval procedures. 74
6.8
Transparency obligations. 75
7 Findings. 76
7.1
Standard of review.. 76
7.2
Burden of proof 78
7.3 Order
of analysis. 79
7.4
Whether Korea's measures are SPS measures. 80
7.4.1
The objective(s) of the measures. 81
7.4.2
Whether the measures directly or indirectly affect international trade. 82
7.4.3
Conclusion. 82
7.5
Operation of Korea's testing requirements. 82
7.5.1
Pre-market testing. 83
7.5.2
Point-of-sale testing. 86
7.5.3
Levels required to trigger additional testing. 87
7.5.4
The additional radionuclides tested for by the Korean authorities. 88
7.5.5
Location of additional testing. 89
7.6
Provisional measures. 92
7.6.1
Burden of proof under Article 5.7. 92
7.6.2
Four requirements for the applicability of Article 5.7. 94
7.7
Whether Korea's measures are more trade-restrictive than required. 107
7.7.1
Whether testing for caesium with a 100 Bq/kg limit is "another
measure". 109
7.7.2
The temporal scope of Japan's claims. 110
7.7.3
Technical and economic feasibility. 114
7.7.4
Whether Japan's proposed alternative measure is significantly less trade
restrictive than Korea's measures. 115
7.7.5
Korea's ALOP. 117
7.7.6
Japan's proposed alternative measure. 120
7.7.6.1
Contaminants at issue. 122
7.7.6.2
Levels of contaminants in Japanese food products. 128
7.7.6.3
Extent of dietary exposure. 143
7.7.6.4
Risk characterization. 148
7.7.6.5
The level of protection achieved by Japan's proposed alternative measure. 149
7.7.7
Comparison of the level of protection achieved by Japan's alternative measure
and Korea's ALOP 150
7.7.8
Conclusion. 151
7.8
Non-discrimination. 151
7.8.1
Whether identical or similar conditions prevail 152
7.8.1.1
Interpretation. 152
7.8.1.2
What are the relevant conditions. 157
7.8.1.3
Whether conditions are similar in food from Japan and of other origins. 158
7.8.2
Whether Korea's measures discriminate between Japanese products and those of
other Members 169
7.8.2.1
Import bans. 169
7.8.2.2
Additional testing requirements. 170
7.8.3
Whether the discrimination is arbitrary or unjustifiable. 171
7.8.3.1
Import bans. 173
7.8.3.2
Additional testing requirements. 176
7.8.3.3
Whether Korea's import bans and the additional testing requirements constitute
a disguised restriction on international trade. 177
7.8.4
Conclusion. 178
7.9
Control, inspection and approval procedures. 178
7.9.1
Whether Korea's additional testing requirements fall within the scope of
Article 8 and Annex C 179
7.9.1.1
Any procedure. 179
7.9.1.2
To check and ensure the fulfilment of sanitary or phytosanitary measures. 181
7.9.1.3
Whether Korea's additional testing requirements are procedures to check and
ensure the fulfilment of SPS measures within the meaning of Article 8 and Annex
C. 182
7.9.2
Undertaken and completed in no less favourable manner 183
7.9.2.1
Likeness analysis. 184
7.9.2.1.1
Whether the measures distinguish solely based on origin. 186
7.9.2.1.2
A traditional likeness analysis. 188
7.9.3
Information requirements. 190
7.9.4
Requirements for control, inspection and approval of individual specimens. 190
7.9.5
Criteria for the siting of facilities and the selection of samples. 192
7.9.5.1
Does Annex C(1)(g) impose a positive obligation?. 192
7.9.5.2
Whether Korea's additional testing requirements use the same criteria for
siting of facilities 194
7.9.5.3
Whether the additional testing requirements use the same criteria for selection
of samples 194
7.9.6
Conclusion under Article 8 and Annex C. 196
7.10
Transparency obligations. 197
7.10.1
Whether Korea's measures are SPS regulations within the meaning of Annex B. 198
7.10.1.1
Publish in such a manner as to enable interested Members to become acquainted
with them 199
7.10.2
Did Korea publish its SPS regulations in a manner that allows interested
Members to become acquainted with them?. 202
7.10.2.1
Import bans. 202
7.10.2.2
Additional testing requirements. 206
7.10.2.3
Conclusion on Article 7 and Annex B(1) 209
7.10.3
Providing answers to all reasonable questions and relevant documents. 209
7.10.3.1
Japan's 24 June 2014 request 210
7.10.3.2
Japan's 13 November 2014 request 212
7.10.3.3
Conclusion on Article 7 and Annex B(3) 213
8 findings and Recommendation(s). 213