Publication
Meat, Meat Products and Meat Preparations: Meat Products
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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1. Meat products are defined in Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 as ‘processed products resulting from the processing of meat or from the further processing of such processed products so that the cut surface of the original product shows that the product no longer has the characteristics of fresh meat.’
2. ‘Rendered animal fat’ is defined, in Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, fat derived from rendering meat, including bones, and intended for human consumption.
3. ‘Greaves’ is defined, in Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, the protein-containing residue of rendering, after partial separation of fat and water.
4. Treated stomachs, bladders and intestines are defined in Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 as stomachs, bladders and intestines that have been submitted to a treatment such as salting, heating, or drying after they have been obtained and after cleaning.
5. Meat products including rendered animal fats and greaves, meat extracts and treated stomachs, bladders, intestines others than casings intestines can be imported provided that they:
• come from an approved country/part of a country
• come from an EU approved establishment
• are accompanied by an agreed animal/public health certificate
6. The products must have been produced in accordance with the conditions laid down in:
a) Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety
b) Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs
c) Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 laying down specific rules for food of animal origin
d) Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’)
e) Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products
f) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 as regards rules for entry into the Union, and the movement and handling after entry of consignments of certain animals, germinal products and products of animal origin
g) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2292 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 with regard to requirements for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals and goods intended for human consumption
1. The approved third country list for imports of meat products, including rendered animal fats and greaves, meat extracts and treated stomachs, bladders, intestines others than casings can be found in Section A, Part 1 of Annex XV of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404
2. Consignments of biltong/jerky and pasteurised meat products intended for human consumption shall only be authorised for the entry into the union if they come from the third countries or regions thereof authorised for the import into the Union as found in Section B, Part 1 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404
3. Meat products must be produced in establishments approved to export to the EU:
• see list here (Section Food: Third Countries: Meat products (RPM)
4. Meat products from bovine, ovine or caprine animals must meet the relevant requirements of Regulation (EC) No 999/2001, which lays down the rules for the prevention, control, and eradication of TSEs.
5. Meat containing striated muscles of animal species that may be carriers of Trichinella may only be imported into the EU if an examination for Trichinella has been performed in the third country where the animals were slaughtered in accordance with conditions equivalent to those laid down in Article 2 or 3 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1375.
6. A Third Country may only apply the derogations provided for in Article 3(2) and (3) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1375 if it has informed the European Commission of the application of those derogations and if it has been listed for that purpose in Annex VII of the same Regulation. This relates to a derogation from Trichinella testing and at present only applies to imports from GB.
7. The country of origin must also be listed for the appropriate species on the list of third countries with approved control plans for pharmacologically active substances, pesticides and contaminants in certain food-producing animals and products of animal origin intended for human consumption in Annex -I of Commision Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/405 as per Article 2a of the same Regulation.
8. Meat products must bear a health or identification mark in accordance with the requirements of Regulations (EC) No’s 853/2004 and/or 2019/627 as appropriate. The mark must be applied before the product leaves the establishment.
9. Meat products presented at a Border Control Post of the EU must be labelled in conformity with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No. 1760/2000 and Regulation (EC) No. 1825/2000.
10. Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein have international agreements with the EU which means that they implement EU veterinary legislation in relation to the movement of animal products. Animal products from these countries must comply with the same requirements applying to animal products from EU Member States and are therefore not subject to veterinary checks.
11. Other Third Countries have special conditions associated with the import of meat, minced meat, and offal of bovine animals. Further information can be found in the following legislation relevant to that particular country:
• Canada: Council Decision 1999/201/EC; Decision 79/542/EC
• New Zealand: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/1901 ; Council Decision 97/132/EC
• Japan: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1533
• USA: Council Decision 1998/258/EC
1: The animal health/official certificates to be used for the entry into the Union of meat products intended for human consumption, including rendered animal fats and greaves, meat extracts and treated stomachs, bladders, and intestines others than casings, shall correspond to one of the following models, depending on the species and categories of products concerned.
• MPNT drawn up in accordance with the model set out in Chapter 25 of Annex III of COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2020/2235, for meat products intended for human consumption, including rendered animal fats and greaves, meat extracts and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines, others than casings, that are not required to undergo a specific risk-mitigating treatment;
•MPST drawn up in accordance with the model set out in Chapter 26 of Annex III of COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2020/2235, for meat products intended for human consumption, including rendered animal fats and greaves, meat extracts and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines, others than casings, that are required to undergo a specific risk-mitigating treatment.
2. The certifying veterinarian should ensure that only the relevant paragraphs and, where appropriate, additional guarantees and/or special conditions applicable to exporting country are included.
1. Consignments of meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines entering the EU must be inspected at an EU-approved Border Control Post (BCP) where Member States' official veterinarians ensure they fulfil all the requirements provided for in the EU legislation.
2. The person responsible for the load being imported (the importer or a customs agent acting on their behalf) must give the BCP at the intended point of entry advance notification of the arrival of the consignment.
3. There is a required minimum pre-notification notice period of at least 24 hours’ notice in advance of the consignment’s arrival.
4. Failure to submit correct documentation within this timeline may result in significant delays in the consignment being processed through the Border Control Post.
5. Pre-notification is given by the submission of Part 1 of the Common Health Entry Document (CHED-P), as is laid down in Commission Implementing Regulation (EC) No. 2019/1715, through the online TRACES system.
6. Copies of other supporting documentation associated with the consignment should be submitted at this time as well - such as the Health Certificate, Invoice, Packing list and so on.
7: Necessary documents and logistical information must be submitted 24 hours in advance via the DAFM Import Portal.
1. Providing all the documentation has been submitted correctly and within the correct timeframes, a large proportion of the documentary check can be commenced in advance of the consignment’s arrival. This includes examination of the veterinary certificate and other documents accompanying a consignment.
2. Provided all is in order with the documentary check, the consignment will then be subject to an identity check at the BCP to ensure it identifies with the consignment that was declared in the documentation.
3. A proportion of consignments will be selected for a full physical inspection with/without sampling as appropriate.
4. Upon satisfactory completion of the required checks, the decision is entered in Part 2 of the CHED which must accompany the consignment to the first place of destination referred to in the CHED.
5. If the consignment does not meet the import requirements, the consignment may be rejected and either re-exported or destroyed.