News from AAFC Market Access Secretariat
On February 22, 2022, France published a decree banning imports of meat treated with antimicrobial growth promoters prohibited in the EU since Jan 1, 2006. This new rule will be fully enforced on April 22, 2022, and will be in place for a period of one year. The move from France follows the recent entry into force of the EU Veterinary Medicinal Products (VMP) Regulation on January 28, 2022. Please note, implementation of the VMP by the EU is delayed, as per other communications by the Market Access Secretariat on this subject.
AAFC and CFIA are working with mission staff at the Canadian Embassy in France to obtain clarifications on the requirements, scope and transition period under the French Decree. While we are waiting on further information from the French authorities, we have received a copy of the model attestation which will be required (below in French). It indicates that the exporter must attest that the meat products are derived from animals which have not been subjected to antibiotic drug treatment for the purposes of growth promotion. Additionally, France has indicated that this would be apply to meat and meat products as per the EU definition in Regulation 853/2004:
Annex I
‘Meat’ means edible parts of the animals referred to in points 1.2 to 1.8, including blood.
‘Meat products’ means processed products resulting from the processing of meat or from the further processing of such processed products, so that the cut surface shows that the product no longer has the characteristics of fresh meat.
The Market Access Secretariat will share more information with stakeholders, federal colleagues and provincial and territorial governments as it becomes available. For now, if you have any specific questions or would like to discuss further please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at aafc.mas-sam.aac@agr.gc.ca.
