Under the EU/Canada Trade agreement initialled last month by President Barroso and the Canadian Prime Minister, Canada was awarded a tariff rate quota for beef of 50,000 tonnes carcase weight equivalent. This equates to a quota of 39,000 tonnes of boneless beef. The quota is split between fresh/chilled beef comprising 31,000 tonnes, plus the existing 4,000 tonnes quota as part of the Hormones Agreement, and frozen beef comprising 15,000 tonnes.
The agreement has yet to be endorsed by the EU Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. Moreover, certain matters, including details of the management of tariff rate quotas, have still to be finalised. However, I can tell you that under EU veterinary legislation the principle of equivalence will apply. This means that all imports of beef into the EU must be produced to standards equivalent to those applicable in the EU and in plants that are approved by the EU Commission. The regime is monitored by the EU Food and Veterinary Office.
Ireland operates EU harmonised import controls on products of animal origin arriving from third countries. Thus, in practical terms, the conditions applicable to imports of beef from Canada are based on the agreement between the European Community and the Government of Canada on sanitary measures applicable to trade in live animals and animal products. The beef must be sourced from an approved export establishment, that is on an EU list, and comply with the relevant standards and requirements which have been recognised as equivalent to those of the European Community. Consignments must be presented at a community border inspection post on arrival accompanied by a veterinary certificate, drawn up in conformity with the relevant model, attesting to compliance with the standards and requirements for the product, completed and signed on behalf of the Canadian competent authorities. A documentary and identity check is carried out on all consignments and a proportion of consignments are physically checked and sampled as part of a monitoring programme to ensure conformity.
