Foot and Mouth Disease: guidance on export restrictions

This is intended for initial guidance only; you must contact your local Animal Health Divisional Office to confirm your certification needs and obtain the necessary certification.

Since 3 August, eight premises have confirmed outbreaks of FMD. The UK has therefore lost its 'Food and Mouth Disease Free' status, which invalidates a large number of export certificates for affected products. Clear restrictions are in place for trade with EU Member States; non-EU Member States each make up their own rules, and some will not readmit affected products until the UK regains its 'FMD-free' status, which will occur three months following the last outbreak (currently the last outbreak was announced on 1 October).

On 17 October the EU Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health decided that exports of affected products would be permitted from Wales, Scotland and certain northern and south-western counties of England, barring further outbreaks in the meantime. A map showing the counties allowed to export is available here.

There are certain other requirements that have to be met, such as a 90-day residency period in the ‘free’ counties, and compliance with a 30 day residency/21 day standstill on a single holding prior to slaughter. Contact your local Animal Health Divisional Office for more details.

EU export restrictions 

The EU has imposed interim restrictions on affected products. Export restrictions for exports to the EU apply to meat, meat products, dairy products, hides and skins and other products from slaughtered biungulates (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs) in Britain. They do not apply to Northern Ireland. 

A reminder of the conditions to be eligible for export (these conditions remain the same as August):

• Have been slaughtered before 15 July.
• Have been imported, fully packaged, from outside Britain and kept separate from British meat.
• Have been treated (usually heat treatment) to inactivate the virus. 

All affected products must be exported with standard documentation plus the relevant export health certificate. Exporters should contact their local Animal Health Divisional Office to find out the particular certification requirements for their products.

 Non-EU country restrictions

 Defra is working with individual countries to negotiate their customs requirements for affected British products and create appropriate export health certificates. A list of the currently available export certificates to Non-EU countries is available here (go to 'List of currently available Export Health Certificates' pdf). This list is being regularly updated.

The lastest Customer Information Note on non-EU Member States is available here.

 Dairy to the USA

 Defra has released a Customer Information Note advising on export of dairy products to the USA, available here.

For further information, visit the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk.

 

25 September 2007