Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

As a member of the EU and the World Trade Organisation, 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. All imports must come from third countries or areas of third countries that have been approved by the EU authorities for export to the EU. In the current WTO discussions in the Council of Ministers, the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Coughlan, has always pressed very strongly the non-trade aspect of market access, which I regard as a crucial element in the overall negotiations. The Minister will do so again on Monday next when WTO will be discussed in the Council and will remind the Commission once again of the importance of equivalence in standards, particularly in regard to all exporting countries, including Brazil.

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 contacted 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.

The Commissioner pointed out 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. Adoption of safeguard measures over imports, for example in the matter of dealing with the risk to the EU of the spread of high pathogenic avian influenza, in the finding of residues of unauthorised substances in poultry meat and in the quick and proportionate protective measures applied to imports of beef as a result of the recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease, demonstrates the Commission's primary objective of maintaining the high sanitary status of the Community and respecting the EU's commitment under the WTO agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

The Commission has assured us that it 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 EU consumers, livestock or plants.

An EU food and veterinary office, FVO, inspection to evaluate animal health and public health control systems, traceability and certification procedures in place in Brazil was carried out in September of last year. The FVO recently published its findings following a period of consultation with the Brazilian competent authorities and a review of action plans that have been submitted by the Brazilian authorities to the Commission. This report, as well as all previous FVO reports on inspection of third countries' controls for export, may be accessed from the European Commission's website.

While the report comments on a general improvement in the structure, organisation and tasks of the Brazilian competent authorities it has listed a number of recommendations to the authorities to address deficiencies that were recorded in the course of its audit. The Brazilian authorities have undertaken to submit an action plan in response to these recommendations and the Department of Agriculture and Food will continue to monitor the position.

The Department is seeking assurances from the Commission that the FVO will undertake further missions to Brazil to evaluate the implementation of its action plan. At a recent meeting of the standing committee on the food chain and animal health, where the matter was again raised by Ireland, the Commission indicated that a FVO mission is being planned to take place some time before the end of the summer.

In the meantime additional health certification requirements have been introduced for imported beef from Brazil under Commission decision 2006/259/EC, requiring guarantees concerning animal contacts, vaccination programmes and surveillance. These certification provisions took effect from 31 March 2006 and they are checked by the EU approved border inspection posts, through which all third country imports must first be submitted.

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