Imported Meat Products (Hansard, 28 January 1992)

§ Mr. Maclean

The Community beef and pigmeat markets are protected by a system of minimum import prices and import levies. Some imports are permitted at reductions in the levy under concessionary schemes reflecting obligations entered into by the Euroepan Community and its trading partners in the context of multilateral trade negotiations. The concessions are limited to quantities which represent around 5 per cent. of total Community production of beef are less than 1 per cent. for pigmeat. They are broadly based on existing trade patterns and are therefore unlikely to cause disruption to domestic markets. In the case of sheepmeat, imports are governed by voluntary restraint agreements which in 1991, limited the quantity imported from eastern Europe to 26,000 tonnes. This represents less than 2.5 per cent of Community production.

Imports of meat and meat products into the Community from third countries, including eastern European countries, are required, under the terms of Community directives, to have been produced to public health standards at least as stringent as those governing intra-Community trade. As a guarantee that these standards have been met, consignments must be health marked with an approved form of label or stamp identifying the establishment of origin and accompanied by certificates issued by an official veterinarian of the exporting country. In Great Britain checks on consignments and their documentation are undertaken by port health authorities. As yet, Community law on these matters is not fully harmonized. However, as part of the single market arrangements, all imports of animal products from outside the Community will he subject to a specified regime of checks on imports of meat and meat products from outside the Community. Entry will be restricted to specific frontier posts having adequate staff and facilities to carry out the checks. Commission inspection teams will be responsible for ensuring that these rules are implemented fully by all member states.

I believe that these arrangements, essential to the single market, will be sufficient to ensure that imports do not present a health risk to consumers in the Community.