Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 469: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the percentage of agri-food products subject to substantial transformation here; the value of agri-food products subject to substantial transformation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35848/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As the tariff nomenclature does not distinguish products in this way, the information sought by the Deputy is not available.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 470: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the projected cost to indigenous businesses of substantial transformation, when they are in direct competition with products in which the primary products are not Irish but after processing can be marketed as such; the projected cost to the economy of substantial transformation when primary products imported here can market themselves as Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35849/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for Health & Children has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation. Responsibility for the enforcement of this legislation rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (F.S.A.I.).

There are no official statistics showing the comparative cost of imported versus home produced primary products. 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. I understand that these draft regulations will be submitted to the EU Council of Health ministers during 2010.

Notwithstanding the outcome of the current review on origin labelling, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Children, my Department had taken steps to try to introduce origin labelling for meats other than beef, which is already subject to specific labelling legislation since September 2000. The terminology "substantial transformation" originates in WTO, CODEX and EU Legislation governing the EU Custom Code and therefore can only be amended at EU level. I have been concerned that this arrangement could, in certain circumstances, be used to mislead the consumers as to the origin of the raw materials used in certain products. This was one of the principal points made to the European Commission in the context of our request for their approval of our proposed national arrangements. However it should be noted that we continue to achieve significant exports of our home produced products. For example in the pigmeat sector whilst imports last year were in the region of 75,000 tonnes we exported over 120,000 tonnes.

The issue of more informative and clear labelling will continue to be pursued by the Department of Health and Children at EU level in the context of the current review. We are pressing for the inclusion of a requirement to indicate the origin of primary ingredients in finished products.