Liz McManus
Question:24 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the national labelling of beef within the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16936/99]
Written Answers. - Beef Labelling.
Council regulation (EC) No. 820/97, as expanded by commission regulation (EC) No. 1141/97, requires that all labels, containing anything other than very basic information, used for the marketing of beef must be approved by a competent authority. My Department is the competent authority for the purpose of implementing the regulations. The labelling system is optional until 31 December 1999. A compulsory labelling system, which will apply to the traceability code and origin of beef, is due to be introduced on 1 January 2000.
While Ireland has embraced the system in full we have, nevertheless, serious reservations about the underlying concept in relation to the labelling of beef as laid down in the regulations. It is our experience that the regulations, with their emphasis on country of origin, have underpinned consumers natural reluctance to purchase beef other than that domestically produced, leading to a move towards market re-nationalisation within the EU. In the context of the Single Market and the accompanying harmonisation of veterinary standards, regulations which rely on country of origin as a basis for assessing the safety of beef are inappropriate. I have made my views clear to the European Commission on this point.
The Commission is due to report to the council in the autumn with proposals regarding the future of compulsory labelling.