Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the food labelling adequately and accurately reflects the origin of all meat and meat products sold within the European Union including Ireland; if the country of origin is indicated in all cases in which some of the ingredients originate outside the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20311/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for Health & Children has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation. Under the general labelling Directive (2000/13/EC), the place of origin of the foodstuff must be given only if its absence might mislead the consumer to a material degree. The European Commission is currently undertaking a major review of all food labelling legislation. In this context the Commission has prepared draft revised labelling regulations and these are being discussed at Council Working Party level in Brussels. These draft regulations will be submitted to the EU Council of Health Ministers during 2009. The aim of the draft Regulations is to modernise and improve EU food labelling rules, so that consumers have, in a legible and understandable manner, the essential information they need to make informed purchasing choices.

Notwithstanding the outcome of the current review on origin labelling, my Department had taken steps to try to introduce origin labelling for meats other than beef, which is already subject to specific legislation since September 2000.

In conjunction with the Department of Health and Children, regulations were drafted that would require the country of origin to be indicated on pigmeat, poultry and sheepmeat. This was notified to the EU Commission in December 2007 as required by legislation. The Commission was not prepared to adopt the draft regulations in their present format on the grounds that the proposed legislation is not in compliance with EU food labelling regulations. The Commission's main contention is that only harmonised rules with EU-wide applicability may be applied to food labelling other than in exceptional circumstances. In March, the EU Commission delivered a negative opinion on the regulations but afforded Ireland an opportunity to provide further information in support of them. While further information was submitted supporting the need for the regulations the EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health formally adopted a negative opinion on the draft regulations in December 2008. The Commission adopted a Green paper on Agricultural Product Quality in October last as part of a drive to protect EU quality agricultural products against 'low cost products from overseas'. One of the questions posed was whether a logo identifying European Union versus non European Union origin in terms of quality and environmental standards particular to the EU would be a useful mechanism. A High Level Conference organised by Czech Presidency to supplement the Green Paper consultation held earlier this month, concluded that further consideration was needed on the possibility of EU/Non EU labelling. A policy options paper based on the outcome of the conference and the 500+ submissions received on the green paper is expected from the Commission at the end of the month.

The issue of origin labelling will continue to be pursued by Ireland in the at EU level in the context of the review of the Labelling Directive and the review of EU quality policy for agricultural foodstuffs. It should be noted that products carrying the Bord Bia quality assurance label provide consumers with assurance on product origin.