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Food Imports.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 October 2004

Wednesday, 13 October 2004

Questions (67)

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

68 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the precautions that are in place at airports and ports here to prevent the illegal importation of food; the number of persons engaged in the inspection process at airports and ports; if she has satisfied herself that the number of personnel deployed in this area is adequate; the number of discoveries of illegal imports that have been made in the past five years; and the number of prosecutions that have issued. [24503/04]

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Written answers

Since the completion of the internal market in 1992 food products comprising animal products are subject to free trade without border control. The products must originate from establishments approved to export to other member states, be correctly labelled and health marked and must travel with a commercial document. Under EU and national legislation those importing animal products are required to be registered with my Department and to notify it in advance of importation.

Detailed EU legislation lays down the conditions that member states must apply to the import of products of animal origin from third countries. This harmonised legislation imposes a series of health and supervisory requirements designed to ensure that imported products meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between, member states.

All animal products must come from third countries or areas of third countries approved for export to the EU. The animal products must be sourced from establishments that are approved and must bear an EU approved health mark. If outbreaks of animal diseases occur in a third country the Commission, under safeguard measures, can suspend approval to export to the EU for the infected regions of the country, or the whole country, as appropriate, until the disease risk has been eliminated.

Importation into the European Community may only be effected through a border inspection post that has been approved for this purpose by the EU's Food and Veterinary Office. In Ireland the BIPs approved for administering checks on direct imports of animal products from third countries are Dublin Port and Shannon Airport. Importers must give advance notice of the arrival of animal products to the BIP.

Imports must be accompanied by the appropriate commercial documentation showing country and approval number of the establishment of production as well as a health certificate conforming to the models set down in EU legislation. The animal products must also be labelled. All consignments undergo a documentary and identity check. Physical checks are carried out at frequencies laid down in EU law.

Once the consignment has met all of 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 at the expense of the importer. The following table sets out the position for the past five years for which annual figures are available:

Year

No. of consignments

No. rejected

1999

632

5

2000

826

8

2001

1,038

3

2002

1,132

3

2003

995

8

Since January 2003 the personal importation into the EU of meat, meat products or milk products by passengers coming from third countries has been prohibited under Community law. The ban was first introduced in Ireland from July of the previous year due to the risk to animal and human health and was operated alongside controls on the importation of meat and meat products from EU countries affected by foot and mouth disease. Transport operators who bring passengers from third countries into the EU are required to bring the ban to the attention of passengers. Amnesty bins have been provided in the main airports for surrender of any animal product that has been inadvertently carried. There have been no prosecutions undertaken in respect of seized personal imports of animal products.

The following table gives the quantities of animal products seized under these arrangements:

Year

Quantities seized anddestroyed tonnes

Number

2002*

27.2

6,652

2003

13.1

3,882

2004**

2.5

542

*includes seizures from EU passengers arising out of the foot and mouth disease controls

**January to June 2004.

There were six summons issued in respect of illegal imports from EU countries.

At BIPs and other disembarkation points there are 23 officers deployed on a full-time basis. There are a further ten officers who undertake this work on a part-time basis in addition to other duties. There is local co-operation between the customs authorities and my Department's personnel at the BIPs. The deployment of officers on animal product import controls is continuously assessed in accordance with the financial and resource limits within which my Department operates. The assessments take into account the level of risk for food safety, animal and public health and the profile of material being imported into this country at any time.

My Department's import controls form a part of this country's overall measures to protect food and safeguard health along with those of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, the Department of Health and Children and the customs authorities.

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