The Turkish authorities have signalled their intention to modify their veterinary health certification requirements for lamb skins being imported into Turkey. The new regime is intended to apply from 1 May.
The imposition of health certification rules for imports to Turkey is, subject to WTO rules, a matter for the Turkish authorities. The new model certificate from Turkey includes a number of elements which create certain difficulties for my Department from a certification perspective. These arise primarily because the standards sought by the Turkish authorities for hides exported from hide premises for leather production are equivalent to those normally sought for produce exported from slaughter houses which, unlike hide premises, are subject to full veterinary supervision and a range of infrastructural and other requirements.
My Department is aware of the possible implications of the new Turkish certification requirements for exporters of lamb skins and has been actively engaged in an effort to address the matter. The issue has been raised with the Turkish authorities. Efforts are continuing to find a formula which will allow Ireland to certify these exports in a manner which satisfies Turkish concerns and those of Irish exporters.
The quality and integrity of veterinary and public health certification in Ireland is of critical importance to our small open economy with its heavy reliance on agricultural exports. Other EU member states and third countries with which we trade must have absolute confidence in the certificates they receive.
For this reason my Department has always taken its obligations in relation to the certification of exports of agricultural products very seriously. In circumstances where particular certification requirements pose difficulties for exporting States, the normal practice is to contact the receiving State to determine how best their concerns in relation to veterinary or public health can be addressed, within the framework of the kind of certification that the exporting country can legitimately provide.
