asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement on the likely effects of recent Italian measures to impose levies on imports into that country on (a) the Irish cattle trade (b) the pigmeat trade and (c) the sheep meat trade.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers (Resumed). - Italian Import Levies.
48.
The recently introduced Italian import deposit measures will have adverse effects on imports of livestock products into Italy from Ireland and the other member states. The position was discussed at length during the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 7th May but agreement on alternative measures could not be reached.
The Commissioner for Agriculture has since had discussions with Italian Ministers and the matter is to be discussed further at the next meeting of the Council with a view to arriving at some alternative arrangement which would be more in conformity with the common agricultural policy.