Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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480. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to correspondence (details supplied) regarding the adjustment of Council Directive 2000/29/EU and the position of Coir; the steps he will take to ensure this is taken into consideration before decisions are made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53160/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Annexes I to V of the Plant Health Directive (Council Directive 2000/29/EU) are being amended to update the European Union’s protective measures against the introduction into the Union of organisms harmful to plants or plant products. These amendments are being discussed at the Plant Health Section of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, which my Department attends and contributes to.

During these discussions Coir was highlighted as a potential pathway for organisms harmful to plants or plant products to enter the Union’s territory. Accordingly, a proposal was made to regulate Coir under Directive 2000/29/EU. Subsequently however, based on trade data and scientific opinion, the European Commission withdrew its proposal so no additional requirements apply.