Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps being taken to prevent the importation of contaminated foodstuffs from countries vulnerable to bird flu; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30919/05]

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps being taken to prevent the importation of contaminated foodstuffs from countries vulnerable to bird flu; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30920/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to answer Questions Nos. 222 and 226 together.

Under harmonised rules the import into the EU of animal products for human consumption may only take place from countries and establishments approved by the community. For the protection of human and animal health exporting countries must have standards covering animal health, disease control arrangements and veterinary supervision of production and export establishments that are at least equivalent to standards required for the production in and trade between member states.

Similar rules apply in respect of the approval of third countries for the export of live animals and for the export of animal by-products. There are also EU-wide controls prohibiting the importation of animal products from third countries by way of personal baggage and post.

All consignments from third countries must be first landed at a border inspection post, BIP, approved by the EU and there undergo documentary, identity and physical veterinary checks in accordance with EU legislation. Consignments must be pre-notified to the BIP where it is intended to enter the EU and be accompanied by health certification in accordance with the models and requirements of EU legislation.

Where there are concerns as to the effectiveness of controls being operated in an approved third country or, where the conditions of an animal disease outbreak could seriously effect production and trade in animal products in the EU the Commission, in consultation with the standing committee on the food chain and animal health, may introduce specific controls by means of a safeguard measure to ensure the protection of animal and of human health.

Since the outbreak of high pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in Asia, the EU has introduced a number of safeguard decisions banning trade in live poultry, live birds other than poultry, fresh poultry meat and untreated feathers from those third countries where an outbreak has been confirmed: Cambodia, Croatia, China, including the territory of Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, North Korea, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. The decisions apply controls on imports from each of these countries in accordance with its EU approval status to export animals and animal products. The EU standing committee on the food chain and animal health decided yesterday to ban the import of all captive live birds and the movements from third countries of live birds accompanying their owners into the Community.

Poultry meat which has been cooked with a heat treatment of at least 70° may continue to be imported from a third country that has been approved to export this product to the EU. This is the case for Thailand and Turkey.