Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 46: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the recent action taken on the traceability of pork products and the labelling of genuine Irish meat products to distinguish them from imported processed meat products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36299/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The EU regulations on food law require that food business operators have systems in place to be able to identify any person from whom they have been supplied with a food. They must also have a system in place to identify the other businesses to which their product has been supplied. In other words a food business operator at each and every stage in the food chain must be able to identify the source of its inputs as well as having details of the first recipient of its output.

I am satisfied that the meat sector generally is meeting the traceability standards required under this legislation. Nevertheless and following the dioxin contamination incident, my Department, in conjunction with industry, is continuing to examine the potential to improve traceability at processing level. I also established a review group to carry out a comprehensive review of the dioxin contamination incident. This group will make recommendations on whatever adjustments of controls are necessary in the light of the experience gained in dealing with this incident. I expect that this group will cover the issue of traceability in its report.

I have pursued improvements to the labelling of meat and meat products. My Department notified the draft Health (Country of Origin of Poultrymeat, Pigmeat and Sheepmeat) Regulations 2007 to the European Commission in December 2007. These would have required the country of origin of meat to be indicated on the labels of meat and products containing over 70% meat.

Following a series of communications between the European Commission and my Department, the Commission directed Ireland not to adopt the draft national regulations. The main reason for the Commission's stance was that the proposed regulations did not fulfil the requirements of the EU labelling directive (2000/13/EC) concerning the permissibility of non-harmonised national legislation. It contended that the draft regulations would create a disproportionate obstacle to trade. The Commission view, which is supported by the majority of other member states, is that labelling matters should be dealt with on a harmonised EU basis rather than on an individual national basis.

Ireland is pursuing harmonised EU rules on origin labelling in the context of a proposed EU regulation 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.