DUTCH OPEN TO STARTING IMPORT SAFETY DIALOGUE

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001676 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EEB/TPP/ABT (PSAXTON) USDA FOR FAS-OCRA-RCURTIS AND OSTA-CSLOOP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO NL SUBJECT: DUTCH OPEN TO STARTING IMPORT SAFETY DIALOGUE REF: A. STATE 114788 ¶B. STATE 125667 THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (U) FAS officers shared on September 4 ref A points on starting a dialogue on import product safety with Andrei Kleinmuelenman, Inspector General, Dutch Food and Consumer Products Safety Authority (VWA). Kleinmuelenman was not available to meet with Emboffs prior to this date. He expressed interest in the interagency Import Safety Working Group and possible Dutch engagement with the group. While noting that the Dutch generally follow an EU lead on inspection policy and legislation, he also said the VWA maintains close contacts directly with FSIS and APHIS. ¶2. (SBU) COMMENT: FAS has found the Dutch VWA to be generally more pragmatic and pro-trade than inspection authorities in other EU member states. For example, they support pre-export certification of flower bulbs by APHIS in the Netherlands and the pre-export certification of almonds in the U.S. prior to shipment to the Netherlands. This pragmatic approach could make the Dutch a useful partner in any import safety dialogue. END COMMENT. Gallagher