Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021
1170. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is a uniform standard across the EU in respect of export health certificates for shellfish; the body that enforces these standards in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52318/21]
View answerThe rules on how official controls are carried out in Member States are set out in Regulation (EU) 2017/625 which provides the legal basis for how food legislation is enforced to protect the consumer. This EU legislation ensures the implementation of key hygiene controls at each stage of the food processing and marketing chain in order to prevent transmission of pathogens through food, including in exports to third countries.
The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) is an independent statutory body which has responsibility for seafood safety controls and the enforcement of seafood safety law. As the competent authority for the export certification of Irish seafood, the SFPA provides assurance of compliance with EU food hygiene legislation.
The requirements of individual third countries in relation to food safety and health import standards are defined by the importing country and are set out in the statements provided in the relevant Export Health Certificates that accompany exports from the EU to those third countries.
