EU gives green light for Chinese imports

The European Commission's Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) this week voted in favour of a European Commission proposal to allow the resumption of imports of certain fishery products (crayfish and surimi), subject to testing.

The import of some other fish products, gelatine and sausage casings was already authorised by earlier decisions. The proposal will now be formally adopted by the Commission and will enter into force shortly.

Following the detection of the antibiotic chloramphenicol in certain aquaculture and fishery products imported from China, and shortcomings identified during a Commission inspection visit to China, imports of products of animal origin from China were suspended in March this year - much to the dismay, and anger, of many Chinese exporters. The Commission writes that this decision is regularly reviewed in the light of further information and guarantees provided by the Chinese authorities.

According to a statement this week the Commission confirms that the Chinese authorities have adopted a range of measures aimed at correcting the identified weaknesses. In June, in the light of the favourable results of tests carried out and information received from the Chinese authorities, the imports of certain fish products, gelatine, and sausage casings were resumed, subject to increased monitoring and testing to ensure their safety. In September, it was decided that re-enforced testing was no longer required for certain fish products, but it was maintained for sausage casings.

Following the information provided by the Chinese authorities as regards the control and the production conditions of crayfish of the species Procambarus clarkii and surimi obtained from the fishery species already authorised to be exported, the Commission has now proposed to allow the import of these products from China to resume. The import will be subject to intensified monitoring and 20 per cent of consignments will be tested.

Restrictions remain in place for a range of other products: poultry meat, rabbit meat, honey and certain fishery products. The situation in relation to these remaining restrictions will be kept under review in the light of information and guarantees provided by the competent authorities of China and on the basis of the results of the tests carried out by Member States, concludes the Commission.