Vol. 528 No. 2
109 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the amount of pigmeat produced in other EU countries imported and marketed under an Irish brand name for each year since 1995 and to date in 2000. [29899/00]
The provision of statistical information on the importation of pigmeat from other member states is a function of the Central Statistics Office and I have arranged to have the request referred to the CSO for direct reply.
Information on the marketing of imported pigmeat under Irish brand names is not readily available. However, based on EU harmonised rules governing veterinary and zootechnical checks, products imported from other member states must be marked with a health mark in accordance with the requirements of Chapter VI of annex B to Council Directive No. 77/99/EEC, as amended. The health mark contains the initials of the exporting member state and the approval number of the consigning establishment within an oval surround. Where the imported product is processed in the State the processed product must then bear on the health mark the approval number of the processing establishment in Ireland and the initials ‘IRL'.
