Food Standards Agency
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Listen to this siteWednesday 25 July 2007
In most cases animal products imported into the European Union (EU) must originate from a country that is approved to export that category of product to the EU. To become approved the Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission (FVO) must visit the non-EU country and its establishments to check hygiene standards are equivalent to those in the EU.
To become approved, the competent authority in the despatching non-EU country needs to contact the European Commission to request approval. An option for contacting the Commission is, for example, through the country's embassy to the EU. The FVO will visit the country and establishments to check hygiene standards are equivalent to those in the EU. Approval is proposed, accepted or rejected.
Following successful approval, a Commission Decision is drawn up, giving the format for health certification and a list of approved establishments. Further guidance on the approval procedure for non-EU countries is available in European Commission guidance on procedures for importing live animals and animal products into the EU and can be accessed on the (External) Commission website (pdf document).
Lists of establishments in non-EU countries currently approved to supply animal products to the EU, (External) are available on the Commission website .
Back to topAnimal products from non-EU countries imported for human consumption that must be from approved establishments include:
For a full list of products, see (External) Commission Decision 2007/275/EC (pdf document).
Back to topThe role of the FVO includes carrying out inspections in EU countries and countries exporting to the EU to check compliance with EU requirements of food quality and safety legislation. FVO recommendations to deal with shortcomings may impact on the import of food from a particular country, or on the import of a particular product.
FVO inspection programmes can be found below.
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