In the negotiations for agreement on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, a key issue for me is to ensure that the principle of equivalence will continue to apply so that even where food production processes in the EU and US are not identical they will provide equivalent guarantees regarding the standards of production. This principle is already enshrined under the World Trade Organisation Agreement and I am pleased to report that it is also recognised by both sides in the EU/US negotiations as the basis for the TTIP agreement. Equally it is important that both the EU and United States retain the policy space to restrict certain practices and processes on social and ethical grounds and this is also recognised, in principle, by both sides.
I have made it clear to the EU Commission, which negotiates on our behalf, that the principle of equivalence, and the right of reservation on policy grounds, must both be respected in the negotiations. This is particularly relevant in relation to the use of hormones in meat production. The EU Commission has made it clear that it will not allow the importation of hormone treated meat into the EU and this is well understood by the US side. In these circumstances, I anticipate that the TTIP agreement will provide adequate protection for Irish consumers against imports of inferior agricultural products.