Conditions for importing meat products from the European Union

On this page

• 1. Meat Inspection systems approved
• 2. Types of meat products accepted for import (based on animal health restrictions)
• 3. Additional certification statements/attestations required on the OMIC
• 4. Additional certification statements and documents required
• 5. Establishments eligible for export to Canada

This web page is intended as a reference library of applicable conditions for each individual Member States of the European Union^Footnote 1.

1. Meat Inspection systems approved^Footnote 2

1.1. Bovine (including farmed bison): slaughter, cutting, deboning and offal, natural salted animal intestinal casings

1.2. Ovine and caprine: slaughter, cutting, deboning and offal, natural salted animal intestinal casings.

1.3. Farmed cervids (including deer, reindeer, moose, elk): slaughter, cutting, deboning and offal, natural salted animal intestinal casings.

1.4. Swine (including farmed wild boar): slaughter, cutting, deboning and offal, natural salted animal intestinal casings.

1.5. Poultry (including farmed feathered game birds): slaughter, cutting, deboning and offal.

1.6. Rabbit: slaughter, cutting, deboning and offal.

1.7. Ratites - ostrich, emus, rhea: slaughter, cutting, deboning and offal.

1.8. Equines: slaughter, cutting, deboning and offal.

1.9. Processing (for meat inspection system(s) approved): comminuting, formulating, curing, cooking and canning.

2. Types of meat products accepted for import (based on animal health restrictions)^Footnote 2

2.1. Fresh meat and raw processed meat products (chilled or frozen):

2.1.1. Meat and meat products derived from bovines of EU^Footnote 1 origin, including natural salted intestinal casings, edible blood, edible blood fractions (for example, plasma, clotting factors, cells), and edible meat products containing blood and/or blood fractions (for example, sausages, blood pudding) - see 3.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4 for additional certification statements required.

2.1.2. Meat and meat products derived from swine of EU^Footnote 1 origin including casings, edible blood, edible blood fractions (for example, plasma, clotting factors, cells), and edible meat products containing blood and/or blood fractions (for example, sausages, blood pudding) - see 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1 and 4.2 for additional certification statements and documents required.

2.1.3. Meat and meat products derived from poultry and ratites of EU^Footnote 1 origin - see 3.8 and 3.9 for additional certification statements required.

2.1.4. Meat and meat products derived from rabbits of EU^Footnote 1 origin - see 3.10 for additional certification statements required.

2.1.5. Meat and meat products derived from equines of EU^Footnote 1 origin - no animal health restrictions.

2.1.6. Meat and meat products derived from ovine and caprine of EU^Footnote 1 origin – see 3.11 for additional certification statements required.

2.1.7. Meat and meat products derived from farmed cervids of EU^Footnote 1 origin - see 3.12 for additional certification statements required.

2.1.8. Meat and meat products derived from imported meat originating from CFIA^Footnote 5 approved establishments in countries other than the EU^Footnote 1 – see 3.13, 4.3 and 4.4 for additional certification statements and documents required.

2.2. All processed meat and meat products (heat treated or raw), other than shelf stable commercially sterile meat products packaged in hermetically sealed containers (cans and/or retortable pouches), and shelf stable dried soup-mix products, bouillon cubes and meat extracts:

2.2.1. Meat and meat products derived from bovine of EU^Footnote 1 origin - see 3.1 and 4.4 for additional certification statements and documents required.

2.2.2. Meat and meat products derived from swine of EU^Footnote 1 origin - see 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 and 4.1 for additional certification statements and documents required.

2.2.3. Meat and meat products derived from poultry and ratites of EU^Footnote 1 origin - see 3.8 and 3.9 for additional certification statements required.

2.2.4. Meat and meat products derived from rabbits of EU^Footnote 1 origin, other than pasteurized products - see 3.10 for additional certification statements required.

2.2.4.1. Pasteurized meat products derived from rabbits of EU^Footnote 1 origin - no animal health restrictions.

2.2.5. Meat and meat products derived from equines of EU^Footnote 1 origin - no animal health restrictions.

2.2.6. Meat and meat products derived from ovine and caprine of EU^Footnote 1 origin - see 3.11 for additional certification statements required.

2.2.7. Meat and meat products derived from farmed cervids of EU^Footnote 1 origin - see 3.12 for additional certification statements required.

2.2.8. Meat products (heat treated and/or cured) processed from imported meat (all species) originating from CFIA^Footnote 5 approved establishments in countries other than the EU^Footnote 1 – see 3.13 and 4.4 for additional certification statements and documents required.

2.3. Shelf stable commercially sterile meat products packaged in hermetically sealed containers (cans and/or retortable pouches) and shelf stable dried soup-mix products, bouillon cubes, meat extracts:

2.3.1. Meat products derived from bovine of EU^Footnote 1 origin - see 3.2 for additional certification statements required.

2.3.2. Meat products derived from swine, poultry, ratites, rabbits, equines, ovine, caprine and farmed cervids of EU^Footnote 1 origin – No animal health restrictions.

2.3.3. Meat products derived from imported meat (all species) originating from CFIA^Footnote 5 approved establishments in countries other than the EU^Footnote 1 - see 3.13 for additional certification statements and documents required.

3. Additional certification statements/attestations required on the OMIC^Footnote 4

3.1. For meat and meat products derived from bovines, other than shelf stable commercially sterile meat products, packaged in hermetically sealed containers (cans or retortable pouches) and shelf stable dried soup mix products, bouillon cubes and meat extracts:

I hereby certify that:

3.1.1. The meat and/or meat product is derived from bovines which:

3.1.1.1. Have been in the EU^Footnote 1 since birth or have been in the EU^Footnote 1 for the last 90 days prior to slaughter.

3.1.1.2. Have not been in contact within the last 90 days with any animal from a country or zone that was under restriction, at the time of slaughter, for Foot and Mouth Disease.

3.1.2. Every precaution was taken to prevent direct or indirect contact during the slaughter, processing and packaging of the meat and meat products with any animal product or by-product derived from bovines of a lesser zoosanitary status.

3.1.3. The meat and/or meat product is derived from bovines which:

3.1.3.1. Were not subjected to a stunning process, prior to slaughter, with a device injecting compressed air or gas into the cranial cavity, or to a pithing process, and were humanely rendered unconscious prior to being bled, or were slaughtered as per Judaic or Islamic law.

3.1.3.2. The meat and meat products do not contain and were prepared in such a manner as to avoid contamination with the following tissues:

a) The skull including the brain, trigeminal ganglia and eyes, the spinal cord and the vertebral column and palatine tonsils, from all bovines aged 30 months or older, and the distal ileum from bovines of all ages.

b) Mechanically separated meat from the skull and vertebral column of bovines aged 30 months or older.

3.2. For shelf stable commercially sterile meat products derived from bovines, packaged in hermetically sealed containers (cans or retortable pouches) and shelf stable dried soup mix products, bouillon cubes and meat extracts:

I hereby certify that:

The meat product is derived from bovines which:

3.2.1. Have been in the EU^Footnote 1 since birth or have been in the EU^Footnote 1 for the last 90 days prior to slaughter.

3.2.2. Were not subjected to a stunning process, prior to slaughter, with a device injecting compressed air or gas into the cranial cavity, or to a pithing process, and were humanely rendered unconscious prior to being bled, or were slaughtered subject to a religious rite.

3.2.3. The meat product does not contain and was prepared in such a manner as to avoid contamination with the following tissues:

a) The skull including the brain, trigeminal ganglia and eyes, the spinal cord and the vertebral column and palatine tonsils, from all bovines aged 30 months or older, and the distal ileum from bovines of all ages.

b) Mechanically separated meat from the skull and vertebral column of bovines aged 30 months or older.

3.3. For meat and meat products derived from swine born and raised in a Member State of the EU^Footnote 1 officially recognized as free from swine vesicular disease (SVD) or from swine imported and raised in a Member State of the EU^Footnote 1 officially recognized as free from swine vesicular disease (SVD) for at least 90 days prior to slaughter other than shelf stable, commercially sterile pork meat products, packaged in hermetically sealed containers (cans or retortable pouches) and shelf stable dried soup mix products, bouillon cubes and meat extracts:

I hereby certify that:

The meat and/or meat product is derived from swine which:

3.3.1. Have been in a Member State of the EU^Footnote 1 officially recognized as free of Swine Vesicular Disease (SVD) since birth or for the last 90 days prior to slaughter^Footnote 6.

3.3.2. Have not been in contact within the last 90 days with any animal from a country or zone not officially recognized as free of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Classical Swine Fever (CSF), African Swine Fever (ASF), and Swine Vesicular Disease (SVD)^Footnote 6.

3.3.3. Have not been in contact within the last 90 days with any animal from a country, zone not officially recognized as free of Classical Swine Fever OR were kept within the last 90 days on a premises which was not located in a CSF wild pig control area OR were kept in a CSF wild pig control area which had undergone surveillance to verify absence of CSF in accordance with Commission Decision 2008/855/EC, as amended^Footnote 6.

3.3.4. Have been slaughtered in a CFIA^Footnote 5 approved establishment and were found to be free of any signs suggestive of CSF, FMD, ASF and SVD on ante mortem and post mortem inspection.

3.3.5. Every precaution was taken to prevent direct or indirect contact during the slaughter, processing and packaging of the pork meat with any animal product or by-product derived from animals of a lesser zoosanitary status.

3.4. For swine dry casings:

I hereby certify that:

3.4.1. The swine dry casings covered by this certificate originate from animals slaughtered in a CFIA^Footnote 5 approved establishment, or from animals that have been in the EU^Footnote 1 since birth or for the last 90 days prior to slaughter;

3.4.2. The swine casings were dried at 80°C for 3.5 hours

3.4.3. Every precaution was taken to prevent direct or indirect contact during the slaughter, processing and packaging of the swine dry casings with any animal product or by-product derived from animals of a lesser zoosanitary status.

3.5. For boneless canned cured meat products derived from swine, either cooked or pasteurized, when they cannot satisfy conditions specified under 3.3:

I hereby certify that:

3.5.1 The boneless pork meat products covered by this certificate have been heated so that an internal core temperature of 70°C or greater was maintained for a minimum of 30 minutes.

3.5.2 Every precaution was taken to prevent any direct or indirect contact during the handling, processing and packaging of the pork meat products with any animal product or by product derived from animals of a lesser zoosanitary status.

3.6 For meat products derived from swine coming from a country not officially recognized as free from swine vesicular disease (SVD) when they cannot satisfy conditions specified under section 3.3^Footnote 6:

I hereby certify that:

3.6.1. The meat product is derived from swine which:

3.6.1.1. Have not been in contact within the last 90 days with any animal from a country, zone not officially recognized as free of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), and African Swine Fever (ASF)^Footnote 6.

3.6.1.2. Have not been in contact within the last 90 days with any animal from a country, zone not officially recognized as free of Classical Swine Fever (CSF) OR were kept within the last 90 days on a premises which was not located in a CSF wild pig control area OR were kept in a CSF wild pig control area which had undergone surveillance to verify absence of CSF in accordance with the Commission Decision 2008/855/EC, as amended^Footnote 6.

3.6.1.3. Have been slaughtered in a CFIA^Footnote 5 approved establishment and were found to be free of any signs suggestive of CSF, FMD, ASF and SVD on ante mortem and post mortem inspection.

3.6.2. The meat product is derived from swine which:

3.6.2.1. Either

(i) Have been in a free holding (premises) within a region recognized as free of SVD according to the Commission Decision 2005/779EC as amended, since birth,

or

(ii) Have been imported from a SVD free country^Footnote 6,

or

(iii) Have been moved from an infected region at least 90 days prior to slaughter and the movement of animals occurred in accordance with conditions a to h of Article 8 of Commission Decision 2005/779EC,

and

The pork meat products have been cured for not less than 30 days; where natural casings are used in the production of the product, they were derived from animals from countries or regions and provinces free of SVD.

3.6.2.2. Or the animals come from a region within the EU^Footnote 1 not recognized as free of SVD or from a province suspended within a free region according to the Commission Decision as amended^Footnote 6, and

2. The pork meat products are dry cured / salted hams which were processed in only one processing establishment for a period of not less than 400 days.

3.6.2.2.2 When deboned, the hams in the consignment were deboned in a CFIA^Footnote 5 approved establishment. Each whole hams lot have been inspected before deboning and /or slicing by a full-time salaried veterinarian employed by the national government of the Member State of the EU^Footnote 1 at the deboning/slicing/packaging facility. This individual has certified that he or she has personally supervised the entire process of deboning, slicing and packaging of each lot of dry-cured hams at the deboning/slicing/packaging facility; that each lot of dry-cured hams was deboned, sliced and packaged in accordance with Canadian requirements.

3.6.3. Every precaution was taken to prevent direct or indirect contact during the slaughter, processing and packaging of the pork meat product with any animal product or by-product derived from animals of a lesser zoosanitary status.

3.7. For pork meat products manufactured in a country not officially recognized as free from swine vesicular disease (SVD) derived from meat imported from a country recognized free of SVD:

I hereby certify that:

3.7.1. The pork meat was legally imported into the country not officially recognized free of SVD under the same zoosanitary and public health conditions as if the meat were imported directly into Canada^Footnote 6;

3.7.2. Every precaution was taken to prevent direct or indirect contact during the processing and packaging of the pork meat product with any animal product or by-product derived from animals of a lesser zoosanitary status.

3.8. For meat and meat products derived from poultry other than shelf stable, commercially sterile meat products packaged in hermetically sealed containers (cans and/or retortable pouches) and shelf stable dried soup-mix products, bouillon cubes and meat extract:

I hereby certify that:

3.8.1. The meat and/or meat products were derived from poultry which have been kept in the EU^Footnote 1 since they were hatched or for at least the last 21 days prior to their slaughter.

3.8.2. The meat and/or meat products were derived from poultry which have not been in contact within the last 21 days with any animal from a country or zone^Footnote 3 that was under restriction, at the time of slaughter, for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or Newcastle Disease in domestic birds.

3.8.3. Every precaution was taken to prevent any direct or indirect contact during the slaughter, handling, processing and packaging of the meat and/or meat products derived from poultry with any animal product or by product derived from animals of a lesser zoosanitary status.

3.9. For cooked meat and meat products derived from poultry when they cannot satisfy conditions specified under 3.8:

I hereby certify that:

3.9.1. The meat and/ or meat products were derived from poultry which have been kept in the EU^Footnote 1 since they were hatched or for at least the last 21 days prior to their slaughter.

3.9.2. The poultry meat and/ or meat products were cooked to an internal temperature of 74°C.

3.9.3. The poultry meat and/ or meat products were handled in a way that any possibility of recontamination of the cooked poultry meat products by raw poultry meat products, either directly or indirectly, was prevented.

3.10. For meat and meat products derived from rabbit, other than pasteurized meat products, and shelf stable, commercially sterile meat products packaged in hermetically sealed containers (cans or retortable pouches), and shelf stable dried soup mix products, bouillon cubes and meat extracts:

I hereby certify that:

3.10.1. The meat and/or meat products were derived from rabbits which were kept in premises where no case of rabbit haemorrhagic disease was reported during the 60 days prior to transport to the CFIA^Footnote 5 approved establishment.

3.10.2. Every precaution was taken to prevent direct or indirect contact during the slaughter, processing and packaging of the rabbit meat with any animal product or by-product derived from animals of a lesser zoosanitary status.

3.11. For meat and meat products derived from ovine and caprine, other than shelf stable commercially sterile meat products, packaged in hermetically sealed containers (cans or retortable pouches) and shelf stable dried soup mix products, bouillon cubes meat extracts:

I hereby certify that:

3.11.1. The meat and/or meat product is derived from ovine or caprine, which:

3.11.1.1. Have been in the EU^Footnote 1 since birth or have been in the EU^Footnote 1 for the last 90 days prior to slaughter;

3.11.1.2. Have not been in contact within the last 90 days with any animal from a country or zone that was under restriction, at the time of slaughter, for Foot and Mouth Disease or Peste des Petits Ruminants;

3.11.1.3. Were not subjected to a stunning process, prior to slaughter, with a device injecting compressed air or gas into the cranial cavity, or to a pithing process; and were humanely rendered unconscious prior to being bled, or were slaughtered subject to a religious rite.

3.11.2. Either:

At the time of slaughter, the animals from which the meat was derived were determined to be 12 months or younger;

Or:

At the time of slaughter, the animals were older than 12 months of age and they did not originate from a herd or flock under restriction for classical scrapie and were not slaughtered as part of a scrapie control program;

Or:

At the time of slaughter, the animals were older than 12 months of age and originated from a flock or herd under restriction for classical scrapie and were eligible for human consumption in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 999/2001.

3.11.3. Every precaution was taken to prevent direct or indirect contact during the slaughter, processing and packaging of the meat and/or meat products with any animal product or by-product derived from animals of a lesser zoosanitary status.

3.12. For meat and meat products derived from farmed cervids, other than commercially sterilized shelf stable meat products packaged in hermetically sealed containers (cans, retortable pouches) and shelf stable dried soup-mix products, bouillon broth cubes and meat extract:

I hereby certify that:

3.12.1. The meat and/or meat products were derived from farmed cervids which:

3.12.1.1. Have been in the EU^Footnote 1 since birth or have been in the EU^Footnote 1 for the last 90 days prior to slaughter;

3.12.1.2. Have not been in contact within the last 90 days with any animal from a country or zone^Footnote 3 not officially recognized free of Foot and Mouth Disease.

3.12.1.3. Were humanely rendered unconscious prior to being bled, or were slaughtered subject to a religious rite

3.12.2. Only skeletal muscle and no offal is included in the shipment

3.12.3. Every precaution was taken to prevent direct or indirect contact during the slaughter, processing and packaging of meat and /or meat products derived from farmed cervids with any animal product or by-product derived from animals of a lesser zoosanitary status.

3.13. For meat and meat products prepared from meat imported into the EU^Footnote 1, including commercially sterilized shelf stable meat products packaged in hermetically sealed containers (cans, retortable pouches) and shelf stable dried soup-mix products, bouillon broth cubes and meat extract:

I hereby certify that:

3.13.1. The meat and/or meat product:

3.13.1.1. Was legally imported into the EU^Footnote 1;

3.13.1.2. Meets all Canadian import requirements, as if they were exported from the country of origin directly to Canada.

3.13.2. Every precaution was taken to prevent direct or indirect contact during the processing and packaging of the meat product with any animal product or by-product derived from animals of a lesser zoosanitary status.

3.13.3. The meat inspection certificate with which the meat was imported into the EU^Footnote 1 is kept on file at the EU^Footnote 1 processing establishment for verification purposes for a minimum of 2 years following the importation.

4. Additional certification statements and documents required

4.1 For all uncooked meat and/or meat product derived from species covered under these conditions:

A CFIA^Footnote 5 Animal Health Import Permit may be required. Refer to Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) for current requirement

4.2 For edible blood, edible blood fractions (for example, plasma, clotting factors, cells), and edible meat products containing blood and/or blood fractions (for example, sausages, blood pudding) derived from bovines or swine slaughtered in the EU^Footnote 1, the following statement must be provided in the additional certification box.

I hereby certify that (as applicable):

The blood was collected from bovines or swine using a closed blood collection method such as using a hollow knife or cannula.

4.3 For meat and meat products derived from bovine considered as precursor material for the preparation of finished raw ground meat including, but not limited to, trim, bench trim (trim derived from primal and sub-primal cuts), head meat, cheek meat, tongue roots, weasand meat, hearts and finely textured beef:

I hereby certify that:

4.3.1. The meat and/or meat products derived from bovine and covered by this certificate are considered as precursor material for the preparation of finished raw ground meat, and were tested for the presence of E. coli O157:H7/NM according to procedures described in Control Measures for Escherichia coli O157:H7/NM in Raw Beef Products, and

4.3.2. Were tested in a laboratory accredited according to ISO 17025 standards (for example, a laboratory that is formally recognized by an accreditation body that is a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) as conforming to the requirements of ISO-IEC 17025:2005), and

4.3.3. The test results were recorded on a certificate of analysis indicating that E. coli O157:H7/NM was not detected, and

4.3.4. The said certificate of analysis is issued in one of Canada's official languages (English or French) and attached to this certificate

4.4 For raw ground meat derived from bovine:

I hereby certify that:

4.4.1. The meat and/or meat products derived from bovine used for the preparation of raw ground meat covered by this certificate were tested for the presence of E. coli O157:H7/NM according to procedures described in Control Measures for Escherichia coli O157:H7/NM in Raw Beef Products, and

4.4.2. Were tested in a laboratory accredited according to ISO 17025 standards (for example, a laboratory that is formally recognized by an accreditation body that is a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) as conforming to the requirements of ISO-IEC 17025:2005), and

4.4.3. The test results were recorded on a certificate of analysis indicating that E. coli O157:H7/NM was not detected, and

4.4.4. The said certificate of analysis will be kept on file in the processing establishment for a minimum of 2 years period from the date of this certificate.

5. Establishments eligible for export to Canada

5.1 Refer to specific Foreign countries establishments eligible to export meat products to Canada