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.

经欧盟(EU)游说后，中国解除了对霉菌成熟干酪的进口禁令，使得中国境内以外籍人士为主的布里白乳酪(Brie)、卡芒贝尔奶酪(Camember)及罗克福干酪(Roquefort)的消费者一片欢腾。

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.

对霉菌成熟干酪品种的禁令于今年7月下旬在上海出台，随后蔓延至其他城市。中国政府还禁止了意大利戈尔贡佐拉奶酪(Gorgonzola)的进口，理由是产品中的细菌可能危害健康。

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 It described China’s cheese standards as “outdated”, adding the EU delegation and the French embassy in China would organise a seminar with Chinese cheese experts “thus limiting the risk of such events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”.

欧盟驻华代表团在一份声明中宣布，欧盟委员会(European Commission)的工作人员与中国负责检疫与食品安全的官员们举行了多次会谈后，对霉菌成熟干酪的禁令被解除，“使得贸易立即恢复”。该声明形容中国的乳酪标准“过时”，并补充道，欧盟驻华代表团和法国驻华大使馆将与中国的乳酪专家们举办一个研讨会，“从而降低此类事件在将来再次发生的风险”。

China imported more than $400m of cheese last year, mostly varieties such as mozzarella destined for use in pizzas. Dislike of strongly flavoured varieties in China means mould-ripened cheese is mostly consumed by foreign residents.

去年中国进口了逾4亿美元奶酪，大部分是马苏里拉奶酪(mozzarella)等用于制作披萨的品种。中国人不喜欢重口味的奶酪，因此霉菌成熟干酪的主要消费者是外籍人士。

China-based cheese importers and restaurateurs welcomed the repeal. “Although this should never have happened . . . we are very happy,” said Axel Moreaux, who operates five French restaurants in Beijing and Shanghai.

中国的奶酪进口商和餐厅老板们对这项禁令的撤销表示欢迎。“虽然这从来不该发生……但我们十分高兴，”在北京和上海经营着5家法式餐厅的阿谢尔•莫罗(Axel Moreaux)说。

Others saluted the efforts of diplomats. “I would like to congratulate the French embassy in China, as well as Great Britain’s, for their success,” Shanghai-based importer Cheese Republic said in an online post.

其他人则向外交官们付出的努力致敬。“我想向法国驻华大使馆及英国驻华大使馆的成功表示祝贺，”上海经销商“芝士共和国”(Cheese Republic)在网上的一个帖子中说。

Zhi Shuping, the head of China’s top quarantine agency, denied the existence of a nationwide ban after the EU delegation publicly complained about it in September.

中国国家质量监督检验检疫总局局长支树平否认存在一个全国性的禁令，此前欧盟代表团在9月份公开抱怨过此事。

“It’s great, its result of a struggle,” said Han Jin, the general manager of Shanghai Roria, a food import company, adding that importers were still confirming the situation. “We’ve heard the news from the EU, but to be honest as of now I don’t think anyone has dared to try to importing.”

“这很了不起，是斗争的结果，”从事食品进口业务的上海荣悦贸易有限公司(Shanghai Roria)总经理韩进说，他补充说，进口商还在确认情况。“我们从欧盟听到了消息，但说实话，我认为眼下还没人敢尝试进口。”