Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 558: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any progress has been made following the meeting with his US counterpart Tom Vilsack in respect to the reopening of the US market to Irish beef; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32332/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the issue of beef access for Irish beef on the US market is a priority for me.

I welcomed the publication in March by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) of their draft BSE Rule, which essentially proposes to align US BSE rules with those of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the internationally-recognised forum for developing and setting guidelines and standards relating to animal health and trade in animal products. This would mean that the US would base its beef import policy for a particular country on that country's BSE risk classification as determined by the OIE's risk evaluation. At present, Ireland, like most other EU member states has the same 'controlled risk' status for BSE as the USA and Canada. This is an important first step in a process which should allow for the resumption in Irish and EU beef exports to the US. The publication of the draft BSE rule on 16 March marked the start of a public consultation period that was originally scheduled to end on 15 May, but was extended to 14 June due to the level of interest shown in the rule. I met with US Agriculture Secretary Mr Tom Vilsack on Tuesday last, 26 June, during which I raised the subject of access to the US market for Irish beef. I explained the importance to the Irish government of progress on this issue, asked that the US finalise the rule as soon as possible.

Secretary Vilsack was broadly supportive of the use of OIE categorisation as a basis for regulating international trade in beef, and explained that it was critically important from the point of view of ensuring that a finalised BSE rule was legally robust, to adhere strictly to the consultation and other procedural requirements. In that context, his Department would be required to give proper consideration to all of submissions made during the public consultation.

Against this background, I believe that once the procedural requirements around the publication of the BSE rule are completed, the US will move to lift the ban on the export of EU beef to the US market.