Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 229: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to concerns or gaps in the labelling framework of food products particularly imported produce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9194/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The enforcement of all food labelling regulations is centralised in the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). This work is carried out through a number service contracts between the FSAI and other Government Departments and Agencies including my own Department. The Department of Health & Children is responsible for general food labelling regulations, the Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources has responsibility for the labelling of fish and my Department is responsible for the labelling of specific food products including beef and poultry meat at processing plants.

I assume that the Deputy is referring to the issue of substantial transformation which is defined in Article 24 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 establishing the EU Customs Code as "Goods whose production involved more than one country shall be deemed to originate in the country where they underwent their last, substantial, economically justified processing or working in an undertaking equipped for that purpose and resulting in the manufacture of a new product or representing an important stage of manufacture".

A central element of food labelling is that the consumer should not be misled. It is my firm view that the concept of substantial transformation should not be used for the purposes of misleading the consumer as to the origin of raw materials.

I have made my concerns in this respect known to the EU Commission both in the context of the review being carried out by them on "Labelling, competitiveness, consumer information, better regulation for the EU" and in the Council of Ministers as well as in bilateral contact with Commissioners Fischer Boel and Kyprianou. I will continue to pursue this matter at EU level.