To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when his officials last visited Brazil to check the traceability and identification procedures required for beef exports to the EU. (147423)

The conditions that apply to beef imported into the EU are set out in EU law and it is the responsibility of the European Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) to visit exporting countries to ensure that their procedures are adequate to guarantee compliance with EU import conditions.

The last visit to Brazil by FVO inspectors took place in March this year. Commissioner Kyprianou himself visited Brazil in October 2006.