Re-enforced checks of products of animal origin

Re-enforced checks of products of animal origin

  Re-enforced checks Where problems, in particular physical or laboratory test failures, are found in  imports of products of animal origin (POAO) for food or feed use, a programme of additional checks under article 24 of Council Directive 97/78 may be implemented for similar imports from the same origin entering the EU until such time as the matter is resolved How does a re-enforced check programme start? When imported products of animal origin are found not to meet certain physical or laboratory requirements, either at the border or inland, , the relevant central competent authority (in the UK this is the Food Standards Agency) are notified and will consider whether a programme of re-enforced checks should be undertaken. If so, they notify the European Commission and if they agree, an article 24 programme is started in TRACES which will apply to the next 10 consignments of similar products from the same origin wherever they enter the EU. A re-enforced check could also be started if there is a history of repeated identity check failures Identification of consignments subject to re-enforced checks TRACES selects the next 10 consignments based on criteria such as CN code, additional criteria such as for fishery products whether they are farmed or wild, species, establishment of origin. . and prevents the release of such consignments until the relevant checks have been completed

Finding out what is on the list If you have access to TRACES, details of current article 24 programmes can be found via the TRACES home page:- go to the re-enforced checks link (located on the left hand menu at the bottom) click search to see the current programmes Details of the country, commodity, lab tests, date of commencement and current status are displayed. Details of the establishment concerned are not provided as this information is not in the public domain we will also not be providing such detail.

Subsequent consignments Consignments after the first 10 must be held in port until the outcome of the checks of the first 10 consignments is known. As an alternative,  the importer can elect to have their consignment sampled at their expense and if the result is satisfactory their consignment can be released even if the results of the first 10 consignments are not all known. However, once the importer has decided to have their consignment sampled, the consignment cannot be released until the result of the sampling is known even if the results of the first 10 consignments come back as satisfactory in the meantime. Selection for sampling If an Article 24 is in place and your consignment is one of the first 10 we will notify you of the re-enforced checks and any additional charges. Covering for example; sampling, sample transport and laboratory fees.  All fees must be paid before release. If the first 10 consignments have already been sampled but their results are outstanding we will ask you  if you wish to wait for those results or whether you wish to have your consignment sampled at your expense. We cannot offer advice as to whether it would be best to wait or to sample including how many results are outstanding. Full details on re-enforced checks including what happens if any of the first 10 consignments proves unsatisfactory can be found here