Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 317: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she has taken steps to ensure that all food and food products imported into this country have been subjected to the same production and traceability requirements as those applicable within this country and throughout the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13277/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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. Undertakings that carry out activities related to any stage of production, processing and distribution of food are required to comply with these conditions to ensure the safety of the food they are placing on the market. Health labelling and traceability requirements together with controls operated by the competent authorities which in turn are audited by the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the EU provide assurances that food is safe. They are a part of the EU's hygiene of food and feed 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.

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 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.

Public and animal health controls in the area of third country import of food of animal origin are carried out by my Department 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.

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. I have received assurances 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. The Commission recently introduced additional requirements for bovine meat imported from Brazil to address shortcomings in traceability identified and confirmed by the FVO at inspection missions to that country.

I should also 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.