§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place to prevent the importation of agricultural products produced to unacceptable standards in(a) animal welfare and (b) environmental care, from (i) the EU and (ii) elsewhere. [128053]
§ Mr. BradshawComprehensive legislation exists to protect both the environment and the welfare of farmed animals within the EU. On a wider front, the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement allows for prohibition of imports only in the case of a threat to human, animal or plant health in the importing country. Products may also be banned in accordance with the terms of Multilateral Environmental Agreements to which the UK is a party. More generally, we seek to engage in 309W multilateral dialogue on how environmental standards can be raised in line with our overall aims to promote global sustainable development and eradicate poverty in developing countries. In addition, the EU has made firm proposals on animal welfare in the context of the current WTO agricultural trade negotiations.