Europese Commissie stelt voor om Ierland te steunen bij dioxinezaak (en)

Given the exceptional circumstances and the difficulties that the pigmeat market in Ireland is experiencing, the European Commission has decided to propose to the Management Committee, which is meeting today, to introduce an urgent market support measure in the form of a specific private storage aid scheme. This EU-funded storage scheme will involve only meat coming from pigs reared in Ireland on farms not affected by contaminated feed. Under the aid scheme, a maximum of 30,000 tonnes of pigmeat can be stored for a period of up to 6 months. The level of aid varies according to the cut of meat. The matter is being discussed with representatives of the 27 Member States during today's management committee. The scheme is expected to enter into force in the coming days.

"We need to take practical action to help support the Irish pork sector at this difficult time," said Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. "Private Storage Aid allows producers to put their products in storage at the expense of the EU budget. Doing so helps to prop up the market. The meat can then be sold out of storage at a later date, when the market has recovered."

The Irish authorities have taken various precautionary measures to recall from the market all pigmeat and pigmeat products produced from pigs slaughtered after 1 September 2008 in Ireland and temporarily suspend the marketing of pigmeat. This action follows the recent findings of elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in some pigmeat originating in Ireland, which has been attributed to the distribution of contaminated feed from a single manufacturer.

The Commission remains in close contact with the Irish authorities. Potential further measures remain under discussion.