Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

Detailed EU legislation lays down the conditions that member states must apply to the production of and trade in food products of animal origin, including the traceability aspects, as well as to imports of these products from third countries. It is a requirement that animal products imported from third countries 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 approved for export to the EU.

While there is free movement for trade within the EU, all consignments from third countries must first be landed at a border inspection post, BIP, that has been approved by the Food and Veterinary Office and undergo documentary, identity and physical checks. These latter checks are carried out at frequencies laid down in EU law. The FVO carries out monitoring and inspection of each member state's BIPs to ensure the conditions for import of animal products into Europe provided under the harmonised legislation are being correctly applied.

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 the Minister, Deputy Coughlan, has raised the issue with the Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Mr. Markos Kyprianou, concerning the sanitary rules applying to the import of livestock products, especially beef, into the European Union. In particular, I have drawn the Commissioner's attention to the need for real equivalence on the specific and important issues of animal traceability, controls on veterinary medicines, prohibited substances and residue monitoring programmes in these countries and, in particular, with regard to Brazilian beef in light of its increasing presence on the European market.

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. These all have significant in-built cost factors and, bearing in mind that our farmers are in competition on European and international markets with low cost third country producers, I will continue to seek real equivalence in these areas, both in discussions within the EU and in the context of the WTO talks on market access.

With regard to meat labelling, I am fully committed to ensuring that country of origin is clearly stated on the label. In this regard an enabling provision to allow for the extension of our comprehensive beef labelling regulations to include a requirement for information on the country of origin of beef to be provided to the consumer at the point of choice by establishments in the retail, restaurant and catering sectors, including food business operators, is before the Oireachtas by way of a proposed amendment to section 54 of the Health Act 1947 through the Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.

While the proposed enabling legislation before the House will facilitate the extension of country of origin labelling to all meats, because of different traceability systems and some import-export complexities, it is not as straightforward for other meats as it is for beef. As with beef, EU approval would also be required. Notwithstanding these issues, I intend to pursue the matter of country of origin labelling at EU and national level with a view to full implementation at all points of choice.

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