Trade

The export of products of animal origin, including red meat, from European Union countries is possible on the basis of:

  • agreements concluded between the European Commission, which negotiates on behalf of all EU countries, and individual third countries;
  • bilateral agreements concluded between individual EU countries and a given third country - in this case export rules and certificate models are determined individually between the veterinary authorities of both countries.

General requirements for producers and exporters of red meat to the USA and Canada: [1]:

  • the plant is authorized to produce and place its products on the EU market, has a veterinary approval number and is subject to regular veterinary checks
  • the plant is situated in an area not subject to any restrictions related to the presence of specific infectious diseases of bovine animals or pigs
  • the facility is authorized by the competent authorities of the importing country to export its products to the Canadian or US market
  • the meat comes from healthy animals which have undergone ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection with positive results
  • red meat and meat preparations satisfy the requirements of Canadian and American regulations
  • the markings/labels of exported products meet the requirements of the importing country
  • each shipment is accompanied by a veterinary health certificate attesting that the meat or products thereof has been examined in accordance with the appropriate procedures, is not contaminated, does not transmit any infectious diseases and is recognized as complying with the current veterinary legislation of the importing country; the health certificate shall be issued by the competent official veterinarian
  • the export of red meat and red meat products from EU countries to Canada and the USA may be subject to appropriate customs duties, the amount of which may vary, and therefore ongoing monitoring is necessary, e.g. on the European Commission's export website: madb.europa.eu under Tariffs and Rules of Origin
  • products exported from EU countries are subject to detailed controls at the border by customs and border veterinary inspection; the scope of the inspection is determined by the relevant law of the importing country.

[1] https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/415278f6-9c67-4641-bf92-8aafb90e2ac0/Guidance-for-Importing-Meat-Poultry-Egg-Products-into-US.pdf (USA)
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/meat-and-poultry-products/eng/1300124955992/1300125034322 (Canada)

piglets - european meat

domestic cattle - european meat

General requirements for importers in the USA and Canada regarding the import of European beef, pork and their products[2]

Imports of pork and beef from European Union countries are based on trade agreements concluded between the Community and individual third countries. The agreements respect both EU regulations and a number of requirements applicable in relevant third countries. The institutions responsible for the development of rules and requirements include, among others: at the EU level – the European Commission, at the level of individual countries of the European Union - veterinary services, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade, and Ministry of International Cooperation. These agreements are, to a large extent, a set of rules common to the areas of cooperation with European Union countries, taking into account in their assumptions, however, the specificity and legal acts of individual countries with which these agreements are concluded.

In the case of food imports from a given Member State, check on the website of the veterinary authorities of that country whether in the case of a specific product its rules are not regulated by agreements concluded bilaterally between the authorities of the importing country and the authorities of the exporting country.

[2] https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/importing-products (USA) http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/meat-and-poultry-products/imports/eng/1339258679864/1339258811636 (Canada)

Import to Canada

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Import to USA

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Export to USA

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Export to Canada

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