European Union legislation provides for a set of harmonised rules to ensure that food and feed are safe, and to ensure a high level of human, animal and plant health as well as animal welfare along the agri-food chain.
Primary responsibility for ensuring that the obligations set out in Union agri-food chain legislation are met rests with operators.
The Official Controls Regulation is clear that the responsibility to enforce Union agri-food chain legislation lies with Member States, whose competent authorities monitor and verify, through the organisation of official controls, that relevant Union requirements are effectively complied with and enforced.
From 1 January 2021, my Department will carry out controls on imports of meat products from Great Britain in accordance with the rules set down in the Official Controls Regulation.
I am satisfied that my Department is well prepared for the changes post-Brexit having invested significantly in staffing, IT and infrastructure to carry out the official controls on all animals and goods entering Ireland from Great Britain after the end of the transition period.