Updated model animal health/official certificates for food of animal origin

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/636 of 25 March 2025 amending Annexes III and V to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235 as regards model animal health certificates, model official certificates, model animal health/official certificates and private attestation, for the entry into the Union or transit through the Union to a third country of consignments of certain categories of animals and goods intended for human consumption

Update

The European Union (EU) has updated the models of official certificates and private attestations that must accompany consignments of all categories of food of animal origin exported to the EU. The changes bring the certificates into line with recent changes to EU rules, including:

• the revised list of authorised countries regarding the use of antimicrobials in farmed animals
• a new requirement for establishments exporting honey to be listed
• extension of the type of establishments from which meat can be sourced to produce meat preparations and certain meat products.

Impacted Products

Foods of animal origin, meat products, meat preparations, mechanically separated meat, fishery products, composite products, honey

What is changing?

The EU has updated many model animal health certificates and private attestations which must accompany consignments of products of animal origin. These updates reflect recent changes to EU rules in the following areas.

Animal health/official certificates

Animal products, composite products, and live fish

For the models listed in Table 1:

• change to point II.1a – a reference is added to the list of non-EU countries and regions authorised as compliant with the use of antimicrobials in farmed animals (Regulation 2024/2598). See List of non-EU countries compliant with new EU antimicrobial requirements.

All models for certain countries

For all models, but only for countries authorised in Regulation 2021/404 (Annex XXII, Part 1: currently among AGRINFO partners these are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia, and Serbia):

• change to point II.2.1 – an alternative certification option for products of animal origin in transit in the EU is added in to the animal health attestation.

Meat preparations/products

For meat preparations and certain meat products, chapters 24 MP-PREP; 25 MPNT; 26 MPST:

• change to point II.1.5 – establishments producing minced meat, meat preparations, and mechanically separated meat are added as type of establishments from which meat can be sourced to produce meat preparation and certain meat products (Regulation 2025/637). See Clarification of import requirements for certain animal products.

Fishery products

For fishery products caught by vessels flying the flag of an EU Member State and transferred in non-EU countries, chapter 29 EU-FISH:

• change to point II.1(c) – two alternatives linked to controls of pesticides and contaminants are deleted as the non-EU countries where the transfer of fishery products takes place has no responsibility to monitor them.

Honey

For honey, chapter 45 HON:

• change to point II.1(a) – honey can only be imported from listed establishments in line with Regulation 2023/2652. See Mandatory listing of establishments exporting honey, and clarifications on animal products.

Composite products

For composite products, chapter 50 COMP:

• change to point II.2(e) – clarifies that the requirement for animal ingredients to come from listed establishments does not apply to gelatine, collagen, and fishery products from wild catch.
• change to point II.3.F – processed honey must come from a listed establishment in line with Regulation 2023/2652. See Mandatory listing of establishments exporting honey, and clarifications on animal products.

Private attestations

In Annex V to Regulation 2020/2235:

• change to point 3 – clarifies that a private attestation (rather than a health certificate) can only be used in relation to gelatine and collagen not derived from ruminant bones.
• change to point 10 – clarifies that dairy products in shelf-stable composite products should meet the animal health requirements in Art. 163 of Regulation 2020/692 (see Animal health requirements for third countries exporting to the EU – explained).

Why?

The EU has corrected the wording of various model animal health certificates and private attestations to align with recent changes to other EU Regulations.

Timeline

The new models of animal health certificates and the private attestations apply from 20 May 2025.

Until 19 November 2025, the previous models in use prior to this Regulation can still be issued. Consignments of animals accompanied by certificates issued before 19 November 2025 can be placed on the EU market until 19 February 2026.

Recommended Actions

It is essential to pay attention to the information requested in certificates, and to use the amended model certificates as soon as possible to ensure that all certificates are correct by 19 November 2025 and that no consignments will be rejected at the EU border.

Background

Consignments of animals and animal products from non-EU countries to the EU must be accompanied by an official health certificate or a private attestation. This certificate (or attestation) contains all the relevant information on the consignment so that it can be exported to the EU.

Model certificates and attestations are in the following Regulations:

• live terrestrial animals and germinal products: Regulation 2021/403
• animal products, composite products and live fish: Regulation 2020/2235
• aquaculture: Regulation 2020/2236.

Resources

Sources

Tables & Figures