Introduction
Products of animal origin for human consumption (HC) are imported into the European Union (EU) from all over the world.
To prevent risks to animal and public health, the EU has drawn up an extensive and highly harmonized set of regulations.
Products of animal origin undergo systematic checks and a health certificate is mandatory as described in the respective legislation.
You can find detailed information on the specific pages of DG Health and Food Safety.
On the website of DG Health and Food Safety there are numerous links to the website containing the regulations of the European Union.
Import controls
Introduction
At the approved border control posts or inspection centres, after pre-notification to the FASFC, animal products for human consumption (HC) are subjected to the checks included in Directive 97/78 and Regulation 136/2004.
There is a comprehensive body of Community legislation in place, which deals with veterinary border control.
On the website of DG Health and Food Safety there are numerous links to the website containing the regulations of the European Union.
Import regulations are highly harmonized across the EU. This means that rules are laid down at EU level which apply to the import of products in all Member States of the European Union. These are rules concerning the animal health/official certificate referring to a third country or a part of a third country authorized to export to the European Union. The certificate also applies to an establishment or a vessel authorized or registered to export to the European Union, in so far as this is required by Community legislation. Finally, the approval of a residue plan submitted by the third country may also be a requirement for the product in question.
Inspections and decision
Pre-notification
Each consignment of animal products for human consumption must be notified by an interested party to the FASFC at the BCP of arrival at least one working day in advance of its estimated time of arrival on EU territory. This pre-notification must be made by means of a Common health Entry Document, the CHED, via the TRACES (IMSOC) system. A CHED-P, the model of which is laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 2019/1715, must be drawn up for each consignment.
Documentary checks
Each consignment is subjected to a documentary check. To this end, the original animal health/official certificate and the CHED-P accompanying the consignment must be submitted to the BCP at which the consignment arrives in the EU. Among others things, it is assessed whether the document is an original document, whether it complies with the model prescribed by the EU and whether the consignment originates from an approved country and an approved establishment (if applicable).
Identity checks
Each consignment is subjected to a documentary check. During the identity check it is established whether the consignment details correspond to the information on the accompanying veterinary certificate. These include the container number, the seal numbers, the country of origin, the product description, the shipment codes and the approval numbers of the production establishments and the product labels.
Physical checks
In the case of animal products for human consumption the physical checks shall be carried out in accordance with Commission implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2129. Depending on the product and the third country of origin 1%, 5%, 15% or 30% of the consignments shall be subjected to physical checks.
The EU has concluded an equivalence agreement with countries such as Canada and New Zealand which provides for a further reduced frequency of the checks.
During the physical checks packages are opened in order to subject the products to certain tests, such as a temperature check, organoleptic tests, etc. Depending on the requirements, samples may also be taken for laboratory testing.
Decision
After the checks have been carried out, the BCP will make a decision regarding the consignment. The consignment may be either accepted or rejected. If the consignment is allowed into the country, it is thereby released for free circulation throughout the entire European Union (at least from a veterinary point of view).
A rejected consignment shall be eligible for re-exportation, destruction or admission for other purposes, whether or not following a special treatment.
The person responsible for the consignment shall receive a CHED signed and stamped by the official veterinarian (or an electronic equivalent), as well as a certified copy of the animal health/official certificate (or an original copy in the case of transit).
Company lists
Products of animal origin for human consumption (HC) can enter the European Union (EU) on condition that the non-EU country and the company that produces the product of animal origin HC are authorized to export to the EU. Lists of companies must be kept by the third country concerned and published on the website of DG Health and Food Safety.
The lists of third countries that have permission to export products of animal origin HC to the EU have been included in the European import rules applicable to the product. On the website of DG Health and Food Safety
The legislation itself can also be consulted on the website of DG Health and Food Safety