Written answers

Tuesday, 1 June 2010

Department of Agriculture and Food

Beef Imports

10:00 am

Photo of Dinny McGinleyDinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 478: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the steps he proposes to take to prevent the importation of Brazilian beef into the EU and particularly this country in view of the fact of reported outbreak of BSE in Brazil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23307/10]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Under EU harmonized legislation a series of health and supervisory requirements are applied in the Member States to ensure that animal products are produced to standards that guarantee the safety of food and the protection of human and animal health. The application of these standards in the Member States is monitored by the FVO (Food & Veterinary Office) of the EU. It is a requirement that animal products imported from third countries meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between, Member States. All meat imports must come from third countries or areas of third countries approved for export to the EU and be presented at an approved Border Inspection Post to undergo documentary, identity and physical checks in accordance with EU requirements. In order to be approved a third country must: Appear on a list drawn up and updated on the basis of EU audits and guarantees given by the competent authority of the exporting country. Have veterinary controls equivalent to those applicable in the EU, particularly in terms of legislation, hygiene conditions, animal health status, veterinary medicines controls, zoonoses controls and other food law. Have in place a residues programme approved by the European Commission. Products of Animal Origin must be sourced from establishments that have: Standards equivalent to the requirements for EU export establishments. Effective control systems and supervision by the competent authorities. Traceability/labelling in accordance with the systems approved by the FVO and accepted and notified to the EU Member States.

The EU's FVO carries out assessment of third countries wishing to export animal products to EU and submits for Commission approval those where the responsible authorities can provide appropriate guarantees as regards compliance or equivalence with Community feed and food law and animal health rules. Third countries and their establishments that are approved to export are audited and inspected by the FVO with regard to these guarantees and reports of the findings of inspections are published on its website. Where there are concerns with regard to the effectiveness of controls being operated in an approved third country the Commission, in consultation with the Standing Committee on Animal Health and the Food Chain, may introduce specific or additional import control by means of a safeguard measure to ensure the protection of human and animal health. Safeguard measures limiting or banning the export of animal products from third countries or regions of countries may be implemented where, for example, the conditions of an animal disease outbreak could seriously effect production and trade in animal products in the EU. I am not aware of any outbreak of BSE in Brazil, nor of any move by the Commission to introduce safeguard measures in this regard.

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