A farmers’ lobbying group is calling for immediate action to be taken regarding the “flagrant” abuse of country of origin labelling by supermarkets.

ICSA beef chairman Edmond Phelan made his comments following an ICSA meeting with Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy in Dublin today.

“I am urging Minister Coveney to work in conjunction with MEPs to put pressure on the European Commission to take a robust approach where labelling laws are being flagrantly abused,” he said.

Mr Phelan said “such obvious abuse of country of origin labelling by multinational retailers cannot be tolerated. The single European market is being undermined in respect of cattle being sold into Northern Ireland and Britain.

“I am calling on all MEP’s and Department of Agriculture officials to ensure that this problem is addressed in Europe on behalf of Irish beef farmers whose produce is not being valued.”

“Irish cattle are being discriminated against and this cannot be allowed to continue. The free movement of goods, as enshrined in EU law, should in theory protect Irish beef farmers, but the widespread abuse of country of origin labelling leaves them out of pocket and struggling at every turn to get a fair price for their produce,” he concluded.