For export live animals and products obtained from them, food and feed, Italian producers must provide adequate sanitation guarantees to the authorities of the importing countries through the health certificates accompanying the goods. The Ministry of Health presented a new generic official certificate template for the export of food to be used in cases where a certificate agreed bilaterally or between the EU and a third country is not required.
Food export: between technical agreements and non-uniform certificates
Negotiations have been made with some third countries technical agreements or understandings which also arise from the desire for technical-scientific cooperation in one or more sectors of public and animal health in order to prevent the spread of infectious and infesting diseases of animals and derived products.
With others, on the other hand, no agreement has been stipulated and in order to be able to proceed with the export, the competent local authorities, in the absence of agreed models, have so far set up the so-called “generic official certificates”. However, on several occasions, inspectors from the competent authorities of third countries have highlighted the lack of uniformity of these certifications. This evidence was also underlined during the Canadian authorities' audit of the sector milk and dairy products for which, in the specific case, there is no certification obligation but a custom.
The new generic official certificate from the Ministry of Health
For harmonize certifications, the Ministry of Health, has therefore presented a new generic official certificate template for the export of food both of animal and non-animal origin, updated to international standards, to be used as a basic model for all cases in which a certificate agreed bilaterally or between the EU and a third country (Traces) is not required.
Part 1 of the certificate concerning identification, origin and destination of the match has been brought into line with international standards.
Part 2, relating to the health requirements, reports the health guarantees generally sufficient to allow the export of the products. However, the latter may be modified or supplemented with the information requested by the importer or the authority of the third country of destination. Furthermore, to avoid customs blocking of the goods, it is the responsibility of the local competent authority to update, where necessary, the normative references in part 2 of the certificate.
