Stronger EU controls set to benefit meat trade with third countries
According to the director of Europe’s Food and Veterinary Office Michael Scannell, due to proposals revealed by Commissioner Borg in May for a new animal and plant health package, there will be greater opportunity to trade with third countries.
“When it turns to exports of course, Europe has a reputation of producing high-quality safe products, yet we are faced with a plethora of demands from third countries’ assurances in relation to the security of our product,” Scannell said.
He added that a number of proposals in the package, aimed to strengthen the enforcement of health and safety standards for the whole of the agri-food chain, will provide greater coordination across the EU. “We will be more active in intervening on international markets, in the WTO, SPS committee etc, etc.”
However, the new proposals could lead to greater competition within the EU, as all food businesses would be operating to the same standards, which would be officially inspected. He admitted that nobody liked competition, but explained that trade between businesses would be easier, if the proposals went through.
But it is pertinent that any trade is safe and he added: “We already have a uniform system of controls within the EU, we already have a highly integrated internal market our aim and objective is to ensure that continues. With very rare exceptions, trade takes place within Europe on a safe basis and member states have a high level of confidence within the overall oversight of the system by the European Commission.”
