The Egyptian market has recently been re-opened to imports of beef from Ireland. In a decree dated 7 October, the Egyptian authorities have allowed for the early resumption of trade in beef from Ireland. The decree extends the existing European-wide ban, but it provides for an exemption for countries with BSE controls of the type operated by Ireland. This development followed intensive contact at political, diplomatic and technical level over the past number of months between Ireland and Egypt.
It is anticipated that Irish exporters will be in a position to supply markets in Egypt as soon as the detailed certification and specification requirements have been finalised by the Egyptian authorities. Up to the time of the ban on imports from Europe, Egypt had been this country's largest export market for beef and consequently its most important market. For that reason alone, its re-opening is of enormous significance for the Irish beef sector.