EU poultry imports from non-EU countries questioned

Higgins requests that the Commission introduces a comprehensive food labelling regime that will clearly illustrate that a food product is of EU origin.

Currently, white meats imported from outside the EU that have any kind of processing of the product carried out by the importer are branded as EU produce.

"Recently I met with representatives of turkey growers in Co Monaghan who are on the brink of extinction because of non-EU white meat imports," said Higgins. "Their livelihoods are under imminent threat because of the unrestricted importation of cheap white meat from non-EU states. Furthermore, from a health and food safety point of view, a clear labelling policy is crucially important."