World meat industry news

Ukraine has lifted its longstanding beef trade restrictions relating to BSE in cattle.Exports of bone-in beef and beef from all EU Member States to Ukraine are now allowed as Ukraine has recognised the EU single system of control on BSE, and the official sanitary status of EU Member States based on the BSE risk category of the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) for imports.

This trade-facilitating measure follows closely the entry into force (1st January 2016) of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and the EU.

The European Commission is looking forward to Ukraine agreeing to the required health certificate quickly so that real trade can start soon.

The European Commission has been constantly requesting Ukraine to follow the OIE key recommendations concerning BSE and remove the associated trade barrier.

The first step to be in line with OIE standards was made by Ukraine early 2015 by removing the ban on imports of safe EU boneless beef from some Member States (France, Denmark and Poland).

EU-Ukraine discussions led to a ‘roadmap’ of joint actions aiming to fully remove remaining barrier on boneless beef from the other EU Member States and bone-in beef from the entire EU.

Ukrainian concerns related mainly to the robustness of the EU control system across all Member States, and to the reliability of traceability control systems in several Member States.

As part of this road map proposed by Ukraine, Ukrainian inspectors visited the Netherlands as an example of BSE negligible risk country on 10-12 November 2015 and Poland as an example of BSE controlled risk country on 7-10 December 2015. EU Commission experts participated in both audits.

Following the positive outcome of these audits, Ukraine has announced the authorisation of exports of boneless and bone-in beef and veal from the whole EU and that Ukraine will follow OIE standards in the setting of Ukrainian animal health and public health standards.

The European Commission and the EU Delegation in Kiev say they will continue working together with the Ukrainian authorities to eliminate unnecessary trade restrictions and to further facilitate trade.