Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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803. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that brown crab from Ireland is currently being exported to China through Holland rather than directly to China from Ireland at a financial loss to Irish inshore fishermen; and if he will engage with his European Union counterparts to negotiate with the Chinese Government and Chinese food health authorities to agree a uniform approach that addresses their concerns across the European Union when exporting to China. [40055/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish inshore fisheries sector has been heavily reliant on a thriving food service industry both in Europe and in other markets for their seafood products and unfortunately food service globally has been particularly affected by the pandemic. I understand that Ireland's exports figures indicate that there have been significant exports of crab to the Netherlands in recent years. For trade within the internal market there are no health certification requirements for such exports.

As the Deputy has previously been made aware China, as a third country, outside of the European Union, sets its own health standards for incoming food products and notifies the WTO of the standards in place. I understand that the Chinese authorities have recently held a consultation on the health standards that will apply for crab as a food product and I hope that the outcome of this will bring some benefits for trade in Irish crab products. Ireland works closely with the EU Commission on the development of European positions on market access and food safety matters and the recent Chinese consultation was no exception.

The Government's focus on, and commitment to, new market development has been illustrated by its appointment of my colleague, Martin Heydon T.D., as Minister of State with specific responsibility for this task. In addition, my Department's international trade activities are being reorganised and further developed, as we deal with the twin challenges of Brexit and the Covid 19 pandemic.