Importing meat, poultry or wild game
Tuesday 30 October 2007
There are strict rules on importing red meat, poultry, farmed and wild game and foods containing these.
Each batch (or 'consignment') of meat, poultry or wild game you import must:
- come from a country approved to export that type of product to the European Union (EU)
- be accompanied by animal health and public health certification
- come from EU-approved premises
- enter the EU through a Border Inspection Post where veterinary checks must be carried out
Remember that general UK regulations will also apply.
Lists of establishments approved to export animal products to the EU can be found on the European Commission (EC) website at the link below.
Advice about import restrictions due to avian (bird) flu can be found at the link below.
Animal Health, an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for imports of products of animal origin and specific details of the conditions for import can be found on the Defra website at the link below. Alternatively, email ahitchelmsford@animalhealth.gsi.gov.uk, or telephone 01245 358383 for more information.
Health certification
From 26 April 2007 new health certification is required for imports of poultry, poultry products, ostrich (and other ratites – a type of flightless bird), ratite products, eggs and egg products from certain non-EU countries. The new certifications can be found in Commission Decision 2006/696/EC on the European Commission website. Previously valid certificates may still be accepted if signed before 26 April 2007.
Composite products
A composite product is a foodstuff that contains both processed animal products and products of plant origin and where the processing of the primary product is essential to the production of the final foodstuff.
Information on importing a composite product containing meat, poultry and wild game can be found at the link below.
Please note though that composite products containing any processed meat products must come through a BIP and will be subject to veterinary checks.
