Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 128: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she has satisfied herself in relation to Brazilian in beef imports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23630/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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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 organizations also brings reciprocal trade obligations. All imports into the EU 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, I have always pressed very strongly the non-trade aspect of market access, which I regard as a crucial element in the overall negotiations. I have taken every opportunity to remind the Commission once again of the importance of equivalence in standards, particularly in relation 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 I have been in direct contact 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.

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. He has pointed to the adoption of safeguard measures in relation to 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 (FMD) as demonstrating 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 (SPS agreement).

A 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. In December the FVO completed a second mission that year to evaluate the control of residues and contaminants in live animals and animal products, including controls on veterinary medical products in that country. The FVO recently published its findings following a period of consultation with the Brazilian competent authorities. These reports, as well as all previous FVO reports on inspection of third countries' controls for export, may be accessed from the EU Commission's website.

These reports comment on the structure, organisation and tasks of the Brazilian Competent Authorities and have listed a number of recommendations to the authorities to address deficiencies, some of which are of long standing, recorded in the course of its audits. The Commission has confirmed to my Department that the action plans in question have now been received and that they are being assessed by the FVO. The FVO will report on its assessments to the European Commission and, where action is considered necessary to ensure the safety of food and the protection of consumers and animals in the EU, that appropriate proposals would be formulated and submitted to the Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health on which My Department is represented.

I have more recently brought to the attention of the Department the findings of an Irish Delegation of farmers and journalists who visited the meat producing regions in Brazil and my 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 to Ireland 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 3rd country imports must first be submitted.