Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

As a member of the EU and the World Trade Organisation, WTO, Ireland is in a position to avail of opportunities for trade that are essential for the development of our open economy. Membership of these organisations also brings reciprocal trade obligations. The principle is that imported animal products meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between, member states. All such imports must come from third countries or areas of third countries that have been approved for export to the EU.

Irish farmers are required to ensure that their production systems and farm practices fully comply with a wide range of EU directives on important matters including traceability, animal health and welfare and consumer protection.

I fully support the policy that animal products imported into the EU from third countries meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between, EU member states. In this context I wrote to the Commissioner Kyprianou concerning the sanitary rules applying to the import of livestock products, especially beef, into the European Union. In his reply the Commissioner outlined that, with respect to traceability and controls of residues of veterinary medicines, the purpose of EU legislation is not to impose on exporting third countries a system of guarantees that is equal to the EU system, but that the exporting country provides guarantees that are equivalent to the standards applied in the EU.

The Commissioner indicated his service is committed to protect the health of European consumers and European livestock. It has regularly carried out inspections in Brazil also with respect to the points of concern raised in my letter and has taken appropriate measures whenever necessary. He indicates the Commission's adoption of restrictive measures in relation to the finding of residues of unauthorised substances in poultry meat and the quick and proportionate protective measures applied to imports of beef, as a result of the recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease, FMD, in Brazil, demonstrate the Commission's primary objective of maintaining the high sanitary status of the Community and respecting the EU commitment under the WTO agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

In regard to the operation of EU controls on exports in Brazil the Commissioner indicated that an FVO inspection to evaluate animal health and public health control systems, traceability and certification procedures in place in that country has recently been carried out. Following consultation with the Brazilian competent authorities on its findings, which is not yet complete, the FVO will issue a report. The Commissioner has assured me that the Commission will not hesitate to take the appropriate protection measures if a product, imported from a third country or produced in the domestic market represents a risk for the health of EC consumers, livestock or plants.

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