Products of Animal Origin for Human Consumption: Eggs and Egg Products

1. ‘Eggs’ are defined in Annex I of Regulation (EC) 853/2004 as ‘eggs in shell — other than broken, incubated or cooked eggs — that are produced by farmed birds and are fit for direct human consumption or for the preparation of egg products’.

2: Eggs products are defined in Annex I of Regulation (EC) 853/2004 as ‘processed products resulting from the processing of eggs, or of various components or mixtures of eggs, or from the further processing of such processed products.’

2. Egg products can be imported provided that they:

a. Come from an approved country/part of a country

b. Come from an EU approved establishment

c. Are accompanied by an agreed animal/public health certificate

3. Eggs must have been produced in accordance with the conditions laid down in:

• Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety

• Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs

• Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 laying down specific rules for food of animal origin

• Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’)

• Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products

• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/692 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 with regard to requirements for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals and goods intended for human consumption

• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2292 of 6 September 2022 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to requirements for the entry into the Union of consignments of food-producing animals and certain goods intended for human consumption

1. The approved third country list for eggs and egg products can be found in

Annex XIX of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404

2. Eggs must be produced in establishments approved to export to the EU:

See list here: (Eggs and Egg products (EPP)

3. Section X of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 lays down specific requirements for eggs as follows:

I. Requirements for establishments

i. Food business operators must ensure that establishments for the manufacture of egg products are constructed, laid out and equipped so as to ensure separation of the following operations:

• washing, drying and disinfecting dirty eggs, where carried out;

• breaking eggs, collecting their contents and removing parts of shells and membranes; and

• operations other than those referred to in points a and b.

II. Raw materials for the manufacture of egg products

i. Food business operators must ensure that raw materials used to manufacture egg products comply with the following requirements.

• The shells of eggs used in the manufacture of egg products must be fully developed and contain no breaks. However, cracked eggs may be used for the manufacture of liquid egg or egg products if the establishment of production or a packing centre delivers them directly to an establishment approved for the manufacture of liquid egg or a processing establishment, where they must be broken as soon as possible.

• Liquid egg obtained in an establishment approved for that purpose may be used as raw material. Liquid egg must be obtained in accordance with the requirements of points a, b, c, d and g of Part III.

III. Special hygiene requirements for the manufacture of egg products

i. Food business operators must ensure that all operations are carried out in such a way as to avoid any contamination during production, handling and storage of egg products, in particular by ensuring compliance with the following requirements.

• Eggs must not be broken unless they are clean and dry.

• Eggs must be broken in a manner that minimises contamination, in particular by ensuring adequate separation from other operations. Cracked eggs must be processed as soon as possible.

• Eggs other than those of hens, turkeys or guinea fowl must be handled and processed separately. All equipment must be cleaned and disinfected before processing of hens', turkeys' and guinea fowls' eggs is resumed.

• Egg contents may not be obtained by the centrifuging or crushing of eggs, nor may centrifuging be used to obtain the remains of egg whites from empty shells for human consumption.

• After breaking, each particle of the liquid egg must undergo processing as quickly as possible to eliminate microbiological hazards or to reduce them to an acceptable level. A batch that has been insufficiently processed may immediately undergo processing again in the same establishment if this processing renders it fit for human consumption. Where a batch is found to be unfit for human consumption, it must be denatured to ensure that it is not used for human consumption.

• Processing is not required for egg white intended for the manufacture of dried or crystallised albumin destined subsequently to undergo heat treatment.

• If processing is not carried out immediately after breaking, liquid egg must be stored either frozen or at a temperature of not more than 4 °C. The storage period before processing at 4 °C must not exceed 48 hours. However, these requirements do not apply to products to be de-sugared, if de-sugaring process is performed as soon as possible.

• Products that have not been stabilised so as to be kept at room temperature must be cooled to not more than 4 °C. Products for freezing must be frozen immediately after processing.

IV. Analytical specifications

• The concentration of 3-OH-butyric acid must not exceed 10 mg/kg in the dry matter of the unmodified egg product.

• The lactic acid content of raw material used to manufacture egg products must not exceed 1 g/kg of dry matter. However, for fermented products, this value must be the one recorded before the fermentation process.

• The quantity of eggshell remains, egg membranes and any other particles in the processed egg product must not exceed 100 mg/kg of egg product.

V. Labeling and identification marking

In addition to the general requirements for identification marking laid down in Annex II, Section I, consignments of egg products, destined not for retail but for use as an ingredient in the manufacture of another product, must have a label giving the temperature at which the egg products must be maintained and the period during which conservation may thus be assured.

In the case of liquid egg, the label referred to in point 1 must also bear the words: ‘non-pasteurised liquid egg — to be treated at place of destination’ and indicate the date and hour of breaking.

4. The country of origin must also be listed for eggs in Annex -I Of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/405

5. Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein have international agreements with the EU which means that they implement EU veterinary legislation in relation to the movement of animal products. Animal products from these countries must comply with the same requirements applying to animal products from EU Member States and are therefore not subject to veterinary checks.

6. Other Third Countries have special conditions associated with the import of products of animal origin. Further information can be found in the following legislation relevant to that particular country:

• Canada: Council Decision 1999/201/EC; Decision 79/542/EC

• New Zealand: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/1901; Council Decision 97/132/EC

• Japan: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1533

• USA: Council Decision 1998/258/EC

1.Eggs shall be presented at a Community Border Inspection Post accompanied by a veterinary certificate, E, drawn up in accordance with the model set out in Chapter 19 of Annex III to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235, for eggs intended for human consumption.

2. Egg products shall be presented at a Community Border Inspection Post accompanied by a veterinary certificate, EP, drawn up in accordance with the model set out in Chapter 20 of Annex III to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235, for egg products intended for human consumption.

3. The certifying veterinarian should ensure that only the relevant paragraphs and, where appropriate, additional guarantees and/or special conditions applicable to exporting country are included.

4: DAFM strive to provide the most up to date version of the relevant EHCs, however legislation updates do take place so TRACES should always be consulted to check for the most up to date version.

1. Consignments of eggs and egg products entering the EU must be inspected at an EU-approved Border control Post (BCP) where Member States' official veterinarians ensure they fulfil all the requirements provided for in the EU legislation.

2. The person responsible for the load being imported (the importer or a customs agent acting on their behalf) must give the BCP at the intended point of entry advance notification of the arrival of the consignment.

3. There is a required minimum pre-notification notice period of at least 24 hours’ notice in advance of the consignment’s arrival.

4. Failure to submit correct documentation within this timeline may result in significant delays in the consignment being processed through the Border Control Post.

5. Pre-notification is given by the submission of Part 1 of the Common Health Entry Document (CHED-P), as is laid down in Commission Implementing Regulation (EC) No. 2019/1715, through the online TRACES system.

6. Copies of other supporting documentation associated with the consignment should be submitted at this time as well - such as the Health Certificate, Invoice, Packing list etc.

7: Necessary documents and logistical information must be submitted 24 hours in advance via the DAFM Import Portal.

1. Providing all the documentation has been submitted correctly and within the correct timeframes, a large proportion of the documentary check can be commenced in advance of the consignment’s arrival. This includes examination of the veterinary certificate and other documents accompanying a consignment.

Please note the original hard copy of the health certificate must travel with the consignment, this will be checked and held at the BCP at the point of entry into the EU.

2. Provided all is in order with the documentary check, the consignment will then be subject to an identity check at the BCP to ensure it identifies with the consignment that was declared in the documentation.

3. A proportion of consignments will be selected for a full physical inspection with/without sampling as appropriate.

4. Upon satisfactory completion of the required checks, the decision is entered in Part 2 of the CHED which must accompany the consignment to the first place of destination referred to in the CHED.

5. If the consignment does not meet the import requirements, the consignment may be rejected and either re-exported or destroyed.