Paul McGrath
Question:145 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he recently met the Food Safety Authority of Ireland to discuss the importation of non-EU beef. [20178/04]
View answerTuesday, 6 July 2004
Questions (116)
Written answers
My Department operates under service contracts with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland to enforce certain legislation on food. Included under the most recent three-year contract with that body, which commenced on 18 December 2002, is the operation of controls by my Department on the importation of animal products. Regular meetings are held with the FSAI in relation to the operation of import controls on animal products including meat from third countries.
The position in relation to imports of animal products, including beef from third countries is that conditions for such imports are laid down in detailed EU harmonised legislation. The main thrust of that legislation is that the meat shall meet standards at least equivalent to those required for meat produced in the EU.
All meat imports must come from third countries or areas of third countries that are approved for export to the EU. In order to be an approved third country it must appear on a list drawn up and updated on the basis of EU audits and guarantees given by the competent authority of the exporting country; have veterinary controls equivalent to those applicable in the EU, particularly in terms of legislation, hygiene conditions, animal health status, veterinary medicines controls, zoonoses controls and other food law; and residues programme approved by the European Commission must be in place.
The meat must be sourced from establishments that are approved and must bear a EU approved health mark. Exporting establishmentsmust be approved and have standards equivalent to the requirements for EU export establishments, effective control systems and supervision by the competent authorities, traceability-labelling in accordance with the systems approved by the Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission, FVO, and accepted and notified to the EU member states.
The FVO carries out inspections to ensure that only establishments that meet hygiene and health standards equivalent to those operating within the EU are approved for trade. Where the FVO considers that public health requirements are not being met, an establishment may be removed from the EU approved list. If an outbreak of animal disease occurs in a third country approval to export to the EU is suspended for the infected regions of the country, or the whole country, as appropriate, until the disease risk has been eliminated.
Importers of animal products, including meat, must be registered with my Department. They are required to give advance notice of importation. Following import they are required to keep records of importation available for inspection by my Department for a period of three years.
Imported meat must be accompanied by the appropriate commercial documentation showing country and approval number of the establishment of production and, in the case of meat imported from third countries, a health certificate conforming to the models set down in EU legislation. The meat must also be labelled.
While there is free movement for trade within the EU all consignments from third countries must first be landed at a Border inspection post, BIP, that has been approved by the FVO and must undergo documentary, identity and physical checks. These latter are carried out at frequencies laid down in EU law. In Ireland BIPs approved for the processing imports of animal products are located at Dublin Port and Shannon Airport. The FVO carries out monitoring and inspection of each member states BIPs to ensure the conditions for import of animal products into Europe, provided under the harmonised legislation, are being correctly applied.
Once it has been established that imported meat has met all the required conditions it is released for free circulation within the community. Copies of the BIP clearance document and the health certificate must accompany the consignment to its destination. Imports failing to comply with these veterinary control checks may be detained for further examination. If non-compliance is established they are returned to the exporting country or destroyed.
Where there are concerns with regard to the effectiveness of controls being operated in an approved third country the European Commission, in consultation with the standing committee on animal health and the food chain, may introduce specific controls by means of a safeguard measure to ensure the protection of human and animal health.
Safeguard measures limiting or banning the export of animal products from EU countries or regions of countries may also be implemented where, for example, the conditions of an animal disease outbreak could seriously effect production and trade in animal products in the EU.