Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she is satisfied that all fowl, beef, lamb or pig meat imported into this country is compliant with the standards of hygiene, husbandry and traceability applicable here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7346/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Detailed EU legislation lays down the conditions that Member States must apply to the production of and trade in products of animal origin 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 imports must come from third countries or areas of third countries approved for export to the EU.

The EU's Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) carries out assessment of third countries wishing to export animal products to EU and submits for Commission approval those where the responsible authorities can provide appropriate guarantees as regards compliance or equivalence with Community feed and food law and animal health rules. Third countries and their establishments that are approved to export are audited and inspected by the FVO with regard to these guarantees and reports of the findings of inspections are published on its website. If an outbreak of an animal diseases occurs in a third country or there are matters that indicate a risk to animal or human health, approval to export to the EU is suspended for the country or the effected region, as appropriate, until this risk has been eliminated. Where the FVO considers that public health requirements are not being met, an establishment may be removed from the EU approved list.

My Department has responsibility for operation of public and animal health control in the area of third country import of food of animal origin, including meat. These are carried out at EU approved Border Inspection Posts in co-operation with Customs Service. Import control forms a part of the EU's integrated policy of guaranteeing that the food produced and placed on to the market is safe and that animal and public health is not put at risk. They form a part of the EU's hygiene package the implementation and monitoring of which is carried out by the relevant competent agencies under Service Contracts by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland since 1999.

I have consistently pointed out at EU level that produce imported from third countries must meet standards equivalent to those required of Community producers. In this context I have been in regular contact EU Commissioner for Health Mr. Markos Kyprianou. 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. I should add that in WTO discussions in the Council, I have always emphasized the need to take account of the non-trade aspect of market access, which I regard as a crucial element in the overall negotiations.