Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on whether it would be appropriate action to request consideration of Article 18 of Directive 2000/13EC in which national provisions can be justified on grounds of unfair competition in view of the fact that six out of ten of poultry producing companies here have closed due to the contributory factor of unlabelled imports and consequently unfair competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44028/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland's request to the EU Commission to allow mandatory origin labelling for poultry, pig and sheepmeat was based on the provisions of directive 2000/13/EC.

The Commission has however adopted a negative opinion on the grounds that the intended actions had not been justified on the basis of Article 18 of 2000/13/EC or that the obstacle to trade created would be proportionate. My Department is now pursuing the mandatory origin of meat in the context of an EU proposal for a new food information regulation that will include labelling.

The Department of Health and Children is the lead Department for that proposal and my officials remain in contact with it on this issue.