Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 464: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the subsequent information being provided and initiatives being taken by him in support of the draft regulations prepared to require the country of origin to be indicated on pig meat, poultry and sheep meat, after the EU Commission delivered a negative opinion on them. [35843/09]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 465: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make available the evidence of consumers' desire for country of origin labelling that his Department additionally provided to the EU Commission. [35844/09]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 466: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the initiatives he is taking in consultation with the EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health and the relevant directorate general to amend EU legislation governing the EU custom code in order that misleading terminology regarding the origin of food is removed. [35845/09]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 468: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make available the correspondence between his Department and the EU Commission in which the commission's arguments for refusing to adopt the draft regulations regarding country of origin labelling prepared by his Department are laid down; the reason for the commission's rejection of the draft regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35847/09]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 471: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the measures being taken by him for the inclusion of a requirement to indicate the country of origin of primary ingredients in finished products; if he will make available all documents, correspondence and consultations relating to this effort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35850/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 464, 465, 466, 468 and 471 together.

Ireland notified the draft Health (Country of Origin of Poultrymeat, Pigmeat and Sheepmeat) Regulations 2007 to the European Commission in December 2007. Following a series of communications between the European Commission and my Department the Commission's direction to Ireland not to adopt the draft national Regulations was published as Decision 2009/291/EC of 20 March 2009.

The Commission's Decision describes the harmonised EU regime for the regulation of food labelling as set out in Directive 2000/13/EC - the 'Labelling Directive'- and the exceptional circumstances in which national provisions are permissible. Against this background the basis for the Commission's negative opinion, as set out in this Decision, was that the proposed regulations did not fulfil the requirements of the Labelling Directive concerning the permissibility of non-harmonised national legislation. It contended that the draft Regulations would create a disproportionate obstacle to trade.

On the issue of misleading information, my Department has, on numerous occasions in writing and at meetings, brought to the Commission's attention the fact that industry practices often create a mistaken impression of origin. These practices include the sale of products under familiar local brand names, the use of 'traditional' logos, old-style scripts, pictures and artwork depicting local geographical features. The rules applicable to health marks may also lead to confusion. My view is that the Labelling Directive does not provide a sufficiently strong basis for counteracting these practices.

At a meeting in July 2008 the results of a Periscope study commissioned by Bord Bia were given to the Commission. This study indicated that in Ireland 26% of people always check the origin of groceries and a further 46% sometimes check. In Britain 50% of people always or sometimes check. This survey also indicated the continuing upward trend (from 50% in 2001 to 72% in 2007) in the proportion of Irish people who always or sometimes check for origin. 65% of those surveyed agreed strongly or slightly with the statement 'I like to know the area where my food comes from'. The recommendations of the Food Labelling Group established by my Department has also been mentioned to the Commission as evidence of public interest in origin labelling.

Despite the evidence of misleading information and of consumer support for origin labelling the Commission continues to object to the relevant national legislation. The vast majority of Member States support this stance and consider that the matter should be dealt with on a harmonised EU basis rather than on an individual national basis.

In the light of the Commission's negative opinion the initiative on national origin labelling legislation has now concluded. It is intended to pursue harmonised EU rules on origin labelling in the context of the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the provision of food information to consumers. The Department of Health and Children is the lead Department for that proposal and has been reflecting Ireland's position at relevant meetings on the subject. My Department is consulting The EU Commission with a view to release of relevant correspondence on this issue to the Deputy.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 467: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department is drafting regulations that would require the country of origin to be indicated on fruit, vegetables and other horticultural product; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35846/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Under Regulation (EC) No. 1580/2007, as amended by Regulations (EC) Nos. 1221/2008 and 771/2009, fruit and vegetables are checked for compliance with the EU marketing standards that are laid down in the legislation. Apart from quality criteria, these standards also set down strict provisions regarding proper labelling and country of origin is included as a labelling requirement in these standards. My Department conducts inspections to verify compliance with the EU fresh fruit and vegetable marketing standards requirements and verification of country of origin is a routine part of these inspections.