Countries authorised to export animals and animal products to the EU: public health list updated January 2024

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/334 of 19 January 2024 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/405 as regards the lists of third countries with an approved control plan and authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain live, chilled, frozen or processed bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods and fishery products

Update

On 22 January 2024, the European Union updated the public health list of countries authorised to export animals and animal products to the EU.

The following countries have been added to the list: Azerbaijan (finfish products – caviar and roes), Colombia (composite products with processed milk from the EU or an approved non-EU country), Montenegro (goat meat and casings), Morocco (honey), Rwanda (honey), South Africa (molluscs/marine gastropods from aquaculture).

The following countries have been delisted: Colombia (milk), Jamaica (honey), Kenya, Mozambique, Bangladesh, Nicaragua (composite products using processed milk/egg from the EU or an approved non-EU country).

Impacted Products

Composite products, milk, goat meat, finfish products (caviar and roes), casings, honey, molluscs/marine gastropods from aquaculture

What is changing?

This new Regulation 2024/334 updates the list of countries authorised to export to the EU.

The list of non-EU countries or regions with approved control plans for certain food-producing animals and products of animal origin intended for human consumption is kept up to date in Annex -I of Regulation 2021/405, consolidated text.

Added to the list:

• Azerbaijan: the authorisation for caviar and roes from wild catch is extended to finfish products from aquaculture (Annex IX is also modified to reflect this)
• Montenegro for goat meat and casings
• Morocco for honey
• Rwanda for honey
• South Africa for molluscs/marine gastropods from aquaculture (Annex VIII is also modified to reflect this).

Change of status:

Colombia: the authorisation to export composite products containing processed milk is now limited to processed milk from the EU or an approved non-EU country (processed milk of Colombian origin cannot be used).

Delisted because no control plans have been submitted:

• Jamaica (honey)
• Kenya (composite products using processed milk and/or processed egg from the EU or an approved non-EU country)
• Mozambique (composite products using processed milk and/or processed egg from the EU or an approved non-EU country).

Delisted due to a lack of interest in exporting to the EU composite products using aquaculture, milk or egg products from the EU or an approved non-EU country:

• Bangladesh
• Nicaragua.

This Regulation also covers other non-EU countries that fall outside the scope of AGRINFO.

Why?

The EU regularly reassesses whether non-EU countries exporting animal products to the EU have a system that is at least as stringent as the EU system or equivalent.

For residues, non-EU countries must submit their updated control plan for each commodity annually, by 31 March each year, and the list of countries in Annex -I is updated accordingly.

Timeline

Date of publication: 22 January 2024.

Date of application: 11 February 2024.

For Colombia, consignments of shelf-stable composite products manufactured from processed milk products of Colombian origin, dispatched to the EU from Colombia until 10 February 2024, may enter the EU until 10 April 2024.

What are the major implications for exporting countries?

From 11 February:

• Azerbaidjan will be able to export caviar and roes also from aquaculture to the EU.
• Montenegro will be able to export casings to the EU. For goat meat, being listed in Annex -I of Regulation 2021/405 is a step, but is not enough to allow exports to the EU. Montenegro will need to be also listed for food safety in Annex I (fresh meat) or VII (meat products).
• Morocco and Rwanda will be able to export honey to the EU.
• South Africa will be able to export molluscs/marine gastropods from aquaculture to the EU.
• Kenya, Mozambique, Bangladesh, and Nicaragua will no longer be able to export composite products to the EU.
• Jamaica will no longer be able to export honey to the EU.
• Colombia can continue to export to the EU composite products that contain milk from the EU, or from countries authorised to export to the EU. It cannot export to the EU composite products that contain milk produced in Colombia.

Recommended Actions

Competent authorities

For competent authorities of countries exporting food-producing animals and products of animal origin to the EU:

If already listed:

• ensure compliance is maintained for food safety (2021/405, Annexes I–XVI), residues (2021/405, Annex -I), and animal health (2021/404)
• in particular for the list dealing with residues, produce an updated control plan by 31 March.

The EU regularly audits partner countries and EU Member States. The work programme and reports are published on the Health and Food Audits and Analysis webpage.

If delisted or not yet listed:

• start the procedure for recognition of the country’s public health requirements as soon as possible.

Competent authorities of partner countries may raise questions to SANTE-CONSULT-A5@ec.europa.eu or, if specifically on residues, to sante-tcresidueplans@ec.europa.eu.

Exporters

For operators in non-EU countries wishing to export food-producing animals and products of animal origin to the EU:

• inform the competent authority of your interest
• stay in regular contact with the competent authority to support the process
• follow the procedure to be included in the list of approved establishments.

Background

The EU has stringent rules on the public health requirements for products of animal origin entering the European Union.

The Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625 lays down the framework for the official controls that competent authorities have to perform at any stage of production, processing, and distribution.

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2292 supplements the Official Controls Regulation regarding the public health requirements for exports to the EU. Countries wishing to export animal products to the EU must comply with the EU public health requirements.

Non-EU exporting countries must be authorised in Implementing Regulation 2021/405 for each commodity to be exported to the EU (Annex -I for control plans; other Annexes for food safety where relevant).

Exporting countries must also comply with the animal health requirements, and for most animal products they must be listed in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404.

Around mid-2026, non-EU countries will also need to be listed regarding their compliance with rules on antimicrobials: see Rules on prohibited antimicrobials in imported animal products.

Resources

Sources