Message from AAFC Market Access Secretariat
By way of this message, we would like to provide you with updates regarding the European Union’s Animal Health Law (AHL).
As you may be aware, in 2016, the European Union formally adopted the AHL to achieve the objective of streamlining a number of legal acts into a single law and strengthening the enforcement of health and safety standards for the whole agri-food chain.
Under the AHL, the European Union has produced three implementing regulations with updated certificates required to export food commodities, terrestrial animals and germplasm and aquatic animal and products to the Union. These model certificates can be found in the links below.
Food commodities: EUR-Lex – 32020R2235 – EN – EUR-Lex (europa.eu)
Aquatic animals and products: EUR-Lex – 32020R2236 – EN – EUR-Lex (europa.eu)
*Please note that these links are current as of June 18, 2021. After this date, there may be newer consolidated versions due to EU publication.
The AHL and all certificates were fully applied on April 21, 2021. However there is a transitional period stated in the implementing regulations, allowing for the acceptance of old certificates until October 20, 2021, provided that the certificate was signed before August 21, 2021.
In order to ensure there is no interruption to trade, Canada continues to work with the EU as the AHL is implemented.
Should you have any concerns regarding this new legislation, please feel free to email us at aafc.mas-sam.aac@agr.gc.ca.
