Complaint to EU on Brazil exports

As beef producers concern over the impact of imports from Brazil intensifies, it has been confirmed that a formal; complaint has been lodged with the EU and the Council of the European Union Ombudsman, Nikiforous Diarmandouros alleging "mal-administration for their failure to ban Brazilian beef imports".

The ICMSA have joined with the Farmers for Fairness in Europe (FFE) in lodging the complaint which was drafted at the ICMSA Headquarters at Limerick.

ICMSA President, Jackie Cahill has described as incontrovertible the failure to ban beef imports from Brazil stressing that it is in breach of EC law.

The formal complaint argues that the alleged mal-administration of Brazilian beef imports coupled with the onerous regulations imposed on European farmers amounts to an infringement of the rights of those farmers as European citizens, as established by the European Court of Justice under the Treaty that established the European Community.

The complaint has been issued in the name of the FFE and the presidents of the 12 associated farm organisations.

Mr Cahill said "We think that we have identified the Commission's vulnerable spot on this issue, which infuriates us all. The European Ombudsman functions in a similar way to the ombudsman in member states. He must now undertake a full investigation of all the trails and reports drawn up by the Commission, including any that are as yet unpublished, He must then present his report with recommendations to the European Parliament".

He added "Our feeling is that, at this stage, the reports by the Food and Veterinary Office and the complete bans operated by the US and Australia, will compel the Ombudsman to come to the conclusion everyone else has bothered to look at this situation arrived at a long time ago. His report will find ICMSA and FFE to be correct in our accusation of mal-administration and it will call for a ban on the importation of Brazilian beef" he added.