Updated animal health list of non-EU countries that can export animals/animal products to EU
Published by AGRINFO on
Updated list of non-EU countries that can export animals and products of animal origin to the EU
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1170 of 23 April 2024 amending Annexes IV, VIII, XIII, XIV and XV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the lists of third countries or territories, or zones thereof, authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals and products of animal origin, and correcting Annex XIV thereto as regards the list of third countries or territories, or zones thereof, authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of fresh meat of poultry and game birds
Update
The EU has updated the list of non-EU countries that can export animals and products of animal origin to the EU according to animal health requirements. Among the changes, there are improvements for South Africa for registered horses; Brazil for fresh beef; and Moldova for fresh poultry meat. There is a restriction for Montenegro covering exports of pork and wild boar products.
Impacted Products
Horses, beef, poultry meat, pork, wild boar
What is changing?
The following summarises the changes in the Annex to Regulation 2024/1170, Part A.
South Africa
Regarding African horse sickness (AHS), registered horses from zone ZA-1 will be re-authorised under specific conditions [(1)(a),(b)].
Brazil
Regarding foot and mouth disease (FMD), the zones from which fresh beef can be exported under “vaccination programme” and “without vaccinations” are reviewed. The following states are recognised to be free of FMD: State of Rio Grande Do Sul, State of Paraná, and municipalities of Aripuanã, Colniza, Comodoro, Juína, and Rondolândia in the State of Mato Grosso [(3)(a),(b)].
Moldova
Regarding highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), Moldova meets the animal health conditions to export fresh poultry meat to the EU from the whole country, except from the following districts: Briceni, Cahul, Călărași, Cantemir, Comrat, Drochia, Dubăsari, Edineț, Florești, Glodeni, Orhei, Rezina, Rîșcani, Sîngerei, Șoldănești, Soroca, Ștefan Vodă, Strășeni, and Taraclia [see new entries in (4)(a),(b)].
Montenegro
Due to an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF), risk-mitigating treatments are reinforced for exported meat products from farmed pigs. Risk-mitigating treatment C (minimum temperature 80°C at core) will apply instead of treatment D (minimum temperature 70°C at core resulting in water activity, Aw ≤0.93 and pH ≤6.0). Treatment D will be limited to the treatment for raw ham of minimum 9 months' natural fermentation and maturation. The export to the EU of meat products from wild boars is suspended (5).
Additional clarifications
The description of the specific condition “controlled vaccination programme” is clarified: when the epidemiological situation is favourable and a competent authority of a non-EU country stops vaccination of animals against FMD, it must guarantee that the surveillance programme for FMD is [(3)(c)]:
(a) applicable for the zone demonstrating its absence; and
(b) carried out and controlled by the competent authority.
Why?
The EU regularly updates the list of non-EU countries as the epidemiological situation changes.
Timeline
Date of application: 20 May 2024.
What are the major implications for exporting countries?
South Africa will be permitted to export registered horses under certain conditions. Registered horses are not for producing food.
For Brazil, the zone free of FMD is extended, facilitating exports of fresh beef from these zones to the EU.
Moldova will be able to export poultry meat to the EU except from the listed districts.
Montenegro will need to apply stricter ASF-mitigating treatments to processed pork, and must stop exporting meat from wild boar.
Recommended Actions
Animal health rules must be strictly applied to be able to export animals and animal products to the EU. It is important that competent authorities and operators work hand-in-hand to monitor animal health and keep diseases under control. The EU regularly audits its partner countries as well as the EU Member States, and publishes Health and Food Audits and Analysis.
Background
The EU has a legislative framework (Regulation 2016/429) for monitoring animal health issues and taking relevant actions as necessary. Non-EU countries must be listed for particular species and categories of animals, germinal products (semen, ova, and embryos), and products of animal origin exported to the EU.
Regulation 2020/692 supplements Regulation 2016/429 regarding the animal health requirements for imports into the EU.
Implementing Regulation 2021/404 establishes the lists of “third” (non-EU) countries.
Sources
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1170 as regards the lists of third countries or territories, or zones thereof, authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals and products of animal origin