EU facilitates food imports from China

Veterinary standards have improved tremendously

Member States, at a meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, approved a European Commission decision authorizing the import of shrimp, farmed fish, honey, royal jelly, rabbit meat and a range of other products of animal origin from China into the EU becomes. The exporting companies have to have their products tested by the Chinese food safety authorities and each shipment is certified to comply with the relevant EU food safety standards. In January 2002, imports of all products of animal origin from China were stopped because the EU found China's control system for veterinary drug residues in farm animals to be inadequate. China has since made significant strides in strengthening its food and feed controls. The 2002 ban was partially lifted last year with positive results and the Commission is confident that, provided proper controls continue, imports of the other products of animal origin mentioned can now safely be authorised. However, the Commission remains concerned about the safety of chicken and other poultry meat from China - particularly in light of the recent new cases of avian influenza in East Asia. The EU import ban on poultry products from China will therefore continue to be maintained.

In January 2002, the Commission suspended the import of products of animal origin from China for food safety reasons, in particular due to the presence of veterinary drug residues in food and feed from China (cf IP / 02/143). Since then, information from the Chinese authorities and the positive results of the controls carried out by the Member States have already encouraged the Commission to relax restrictions on a number of products (surimi, natural casings, sea fish, crabs - compare also with IP / 02/1898).

Experience with the lifting of the restrictions has been positive so far. The decision approved today means the lifting of the remaining bans (except for poultry meat) after the Chinese authorities successfully tightened their food and feed controls.

China has implemented a series of control measures which were examined by inspectors from the Food and Veterinary Office in September 2003. In response to the inspectors' recommendations, the Chinese authorities have presented an action plan to address the remaining grievances. This plan is now being implemented.

This, together with various commitments made by China in the area of ​​control measures and residue monitoring, has convinced the Commission that import restrictions can now safely be eased.

China has committed to testing all shipments upon export and only issuing a health certificate to shipments that meet EU requirements.

However, the EU import ban on chickens and other poultry products from China remains in place. The Commission remains concerned about the safety of these products, particularly given the recently reported new cases of avian influenza in East Asia.

Imports of pork, beef and dairy products from China have never been allowed due to various animal diseases occurring in China, including foot-and-mouth disease.

The decision will now be formally adopted by the Commission in the coming weeks and will enter into force three days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Source: Brussels [eu]