asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if his attention has been drawn to the statement issued by the Irish Pigs and Bacon Commission regarding the effect on exports of pigmeat arising from the re-introduction of EEC transitional compensatory amounts from 1st May, 1975; and if he will make a statement on the position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pigmeat Exports.
7.
The fall during the last three months in the level of prices for feed grain imports into the Community, while resulting in import levies, has also resulted in the grant of mitigating accession compensatory amounts in respect of feed grain imported into Ireland and the United Kingdom. This advantage as compared with the other member states falls to be offset in respect of pigmeat exports by the charging of accession compensatory amounts from the 1st May. However, since the United Kingdom accession compensatory amounts on feed grain are larger than ours, there is a net grant of accession compensatory amounts on imports of Irish pigmeat into the United Kingdom, giving a payment to us of £14.29 per ton in terms of bacon from 1st May as compared with nil at present. But the full United Kingdom accession compensatory amounts are payable on pigmeat imports from other supplying countries who are not subject to the export charging of accession compensatory amounts that Ireland is, due to our more favourable feed grain imports levy position than the original Community member states. I have been questioning aspects of the change from 1st May as applying in particular to third countries.
Is it correct that exports of bacon into the Community from Poland and Sweden get an export refund of £40 a ton as against £14 payable on Irish bacon exports to Britain?
They will get much more than that from 1st May; they will get £88.
Poland and Sweden?
Yes, they will be getting £88 when we are getting £28.
What steps has the Minister taken in the Council of Ministers to ensure that Irish pig producers are protected from third country imports of the type I mentioned?
I raised this matter on numerous occasions. This is simply the system we accepted in our Treaty of Accession. It is nothing new; it was there all the time. I arranged to have a meeting with Commissioner Lardinois after the last meeting but it was impossible to have that discussion because the meeting finished so late. I am trying to arrange to see him on this occasion to discuss this matter. I told him my reasons for the meeting and this was one of the main purposes.
Has the Minister the right to use the veto on a matter of this kind?
No. This is simply the Community system.