| |
A general overview can be found in the following factsheet 
Import rules in the European Union for poultry (including hatching eggs) and poultry products (including egg products) are fully harmonised and the European
Commission acts as the competent authority on behalf of the 27 Member States. The EU Commission is the sole negotiating partner for all non-EU countries in
questions related to import conditions.
The European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumers is responsible for food safety in the European Union. Our import rules seek
to guarantee that all imports fulfil the same high standards as products from EU Member States - not only with respect to hygiene and all aspects of consumer
safety but also regarding their animal health status.
Importation of poultry and poultry products into the European Union are subject to veterinary certification which is based on the recognition of the competent
authority of the non-EU country under EU legislation.
This formal recognition of the reliability of the competent authority is a pre-requisite for the country to be eligible and authorized for export to the
European Union. Legally legitimate and adequately empowered authorities in the exporting country must ensure credible inspection and controls throughout
the production chain, which cover all relevant aspects of hygiene, animal health, animal welfare and public health.
All other interested parties and private businesses should contact their competent authority and communicate with the European Union via this channel.
Animals and animal products entering the Community are inspected at a Border Inspection Post (BIP) where Member States' official veterinarians ensure they
fulfil all the requirements provided for in the EU legislation. More information can be found on the webpages of the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers.
Animals of a lower Community health status cannot transit the Community.
A general guidance document on EU import requirements for animals and animal products is available on the webpages of the Directorate-General for Health and
Consumers. Here you can find also more general information on importation into the EU.
For more detailed information on importation into the EU of poultry and poultry products, please see the relevant heading below.
Legislation relating to imports of poultry and poultry products
The definition of poultry, hatching eggs, day old chicks, captive birds and poultry products is laid down in the relevant legislation below. Because of the
biological differences and differences in disease susceptibility between ratites (e.g. Ostriches, Emu, and Rhea) and other poultry species, the animal
health risks from imports of ratites and other poultry are different and this is reflected in the EU legislation.
Council Directive 2009/158/EC lays down the animal health principles on which importation of live poultry is based. This Directive, which has been amended
several times, harmonises the rules and establishes the general animal health conditions for the import into the EU of live poultry.
The objective of this harmonisation is to make sure that the same principles for importation of poultry are applied in all the Member States and prevent
poultry from entering EU territory carrying infectious diseases that are dangerous for livestock or humans.
Furthermore, under Directive 2009/158/EC it is possible to regionalise a country. This means that depending on the animal health situation and the guarantees
offered by that country, only a part of its territory may be authorised for the importation into the EU of live poultry. More information can be found on
the webpages of the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers.
Council Directive 2002/99/EC lays down the animal health requirements for fresh meat. This new Directive forms the legal basis for all animal health
rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption and continues to provide
harmonised rules and animal health guarantees for the import into the EU of fresh meat.
More information on the EU import conditions for fresh meat and meat products can be found in the relevant brochure which can also be accessed on the
webpages of the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers.
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 798/2008 amended by
Regulation 1291/2008,
411/2009 and
215/2010,
241/2010,
254/2010,
332/2010,
925/2010,
955/2010,
lays down a list of third countries,
territories, zones or compartments from which poultry and poultry products may be imported into and transit through the Community and the veterinary certification
requirements (it replaced from 1 January 2009 Commission Decision 2006/696/EC).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 318/2007 amended by Regulations:
1278/2007,
86/2008,
311/2008,
607/2008,
754/2008,
1294/2008,
201/2009,
555/2009,
1118/2009 and
239/2010
lays down the requirements for the importation into the EU of birds other than poultry (captive birds).
Criteria for the authorisation of a third country
Third countries of origin must be on a positive list of eligible countries. The eligibility criteria for the import
of poultry and poultry meat are laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No. 798/2008
and the criteria for the import
of captive birds are laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 318/2007.
The main criteria are:
- The exporting countries must have a competent veterinary authority which is responsible throughout the food chain. The authorities must be empowered,
structured and resourced to implement effective inspection and guarantee credible certification of the relevant veterinary and general hygiene conditions.
- The country or region of origin must fulfil the relevant animal health standards. This implies that the country should be a member of the
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and should meet that organisation's standards and reporting obligations. In addition, approved countries
have to notify within 24 hours outbreaks of avian influenza and Newcastle disease and must submit virus isolates to the EU Community Reference Laboratory.
- Adequate veterinary services must ensure effective enforcement of all necessary health controls.
- Imports are only authorised from approved establishments (e.g. slaughterhouses, cutting plants, game handling establishments, cold stores, meat
processing plants), which have been inspected by the competent authority of the exporting country and found to meet EU requirements. The authority
provides the necessary guarantees and is obliged to carry out regular inspections.
- The veterinary authorities must have at its disposal one or more laboratories that comply with certain minimum requirements, ensuring sufficient
capability for disease diagnosis.
- The national authorities must also guarantee that the relevant hygiene and public health requirements are met. The hygiene legislation contains
specific requirements on the structure of establishments, equipment and operational processes for slaughter, cutting, storage and handling of meat.
These provisions are aimed at ensuring high standards and at preventing any contamination of the product during processing. More information on the
food hygiene legislation can be found on the webpages of the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers.
Request for authorisation
The national authority of a third country must submit a formal request to the Directorate General for Health and Consumers of the European
Commission to be authorised for the importation into the EU of the commodities concerned.
After the request is received the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers will send out a questionnaire to
the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) of the country applying for authorisation, which should be completed and returned.
This questionnaire can also be found here  (Updated 27-07-2010) and the completed questionnaire can of course be submitted together with the initial request.
Residue monitoring
A monitoring system must be in place to verify compliance with EU requirements on residues of veterinary medicines, pesticides and contaminants.
The residue monitoring plan of the exporting country must be submitted and approved by the EU Commission.
More information can be found on the webpages of the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers.
Inspection by the Commission's Food and Veterinary Office
If the evaluation of the residue monitoring plan and the questionnaire is positive, an inspection by the Commission's Food and Veterinary Office (FVO)
is carried out to assess the situation on the spot. Such an inspection is necessary to confirm compliance with the above requirements. It is the basis
of establishing confidence between the EU Commission and the competent authority of the exporting country.
Authorisation of the exporting country
Based on the results of the inspection and the guarantees given by the exporting country, the Directorate General for Health and Consumers
proposes the authorisation of the country for the animals or products concerned, the specific animal health conditions under which imports from that
country will be authorised and the list of approved establishments in the country. These are then discussed with representatives of all EU Member States.
If the Member States have a favourable opinion on the proposal, the European Commission adopts the specific import conditions.
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 798/2008 lays down the veterinary requirements which must be fulfilled when exporting poultry and certain poultry products and a
list of those third countries from which imports of these commodities are authorised.
Listing of establishments
Food products of animal origin are allowed into the EU only if they come from an approved establishment in a third country. To apply to become an approved
establishment, a company should contact the relevant authorities in their country who then submit an application for approval to the European Commission.
Lists of eligible establishments can be amended at the request of the exporting country and are made available for the public on the webpages of the
Directorate-General for Health and Consumers.
The competent authorities of the exporting countries give the guarantee that the establishments conform and operate to EU legislation, when proposing
amendments to the establishment list.
Import of captive birds
Commission Regulation (EC) No 318/2007 lays down the requirements for the importation
into the EU of birds other than poultry (captive birds).
Import of captive bred birds is authorised (not the import of birds caught in the wild) if they come from
approved breeding establishments
Updated 11-05-2011 in those
third countries that are listed in Annex I to the Regulation, and if the birds comply with certain requirements and are accompanied by an animal health
certificate.
After importation into the EU the birds shall be quarantined for at least 30 days in an approved quarantine facility or centre where they shall be
sampled and tested for avian influenza and Newcastle disease. Only after all birds have tested negative for these diseases and have shown no clinical
symptoms of any other disease affecting birds can they be released from quarantine. For further information about the relevant import requirements,
please see the text of the Regulation.
These rules have been drawn up following the adoption by the EFSA Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) of an
opinion on the animal
health and welfare risks associated with the import of wild birds other than poultry into the European Union, which identified possible tools and
options to reduce any identified animal health risk related to imports of birds other than poultry.
Import of pigeons
"Breeding pigeons"
-
Council Directive 2009/158/EC lays down the requirements for the importation into the EU
of "breeding" pigeons that are intended solely for the production of hatching eggs from which pigeons kept for
production and/or slaughter will be raised, or those "productive" pigeons which are imported with the intention
to the production of meat and/or eggs for consumption.
- This Directive is implemented in Community legislation via Commission Regulation 798/2008.
Both the list of authorised third countries, the animal health requirements
for such imports and a model health certificate are laid down in that Regulation.
- "Breeding pigeons" must furthermore originate from establishments approved according to Council Directive 2009/158/EC, while
certain restrictions apply to the imported pigeons on the holding of destination after their import into the EU.
Pigeons to be released for racing purposes (back to their country of origin)
- Racing pigeons coming from neighbouring third countries that are imported with the intention to
be immediately released for racing purposes do not fall under Directive 90/539/EEC and they are excluded from
the scope of Commission Regulation (EC) No 318/2007 (see Article 2(f)). Until harmonised certificate is laid down national rules apply.
All other pigeons
-
Council Directive 92/65/EEC lays down the requirements for the importation into the EU of all other types of pigeons.
- For the import of such birds, the Directive is implemented by Regulation (EC) No 318/2007. The list of authorised third countries, the list of approved facilities and centres, the animal health requirements for such imports and a model health certificate are laid down in that Regulation.
| |
