Ms Sinéad McPhillips:

This was something that was raised by the Minister at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, AGRIFISH, yesterday, with serious concerns about the Chinese attitude. Clearly, our view is that EU and Irish exports of pig meat and pig meat by-products to China could in no way be characterised as dumping. There is no breach of WTO rules, which is what has been alleged by the Chinese authorities. We have asked the Commission to take this case very seriously. We received assurances yesterday from Commissioner Hansen that would be done and that the EU would make every effort to defend EU exports to China and get those tariffs lifted. Although China calls them something other than tariffs, that is their effect. We have seen a series of different investigations of different European products by the Chinese authorities. That is a worrying trend for the value of the market.