The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the Department) is the Australian government authority responsible for export registration, inspection and certification of Australian food and agricultural exports.

All premises involved in the production of fish and fish products for export, including fishing vessels where fish is prepared for export must be registered with the Department. For more information or assistance with the export registration process contact the departments Dairy, Eggs and Fish Program at dairyeggsfish@aff.gov.au.

Exceptions to establishment registration

Preparation of goods at an export registered establishment and an export permit is not required if you are exporting the following as these goods are not prescribed under the Export Control (Fish & Fish products) Rules 2021;

1. liquid fish and liquid fish products exported in a consignment of not more than 10 litres;
2. dried fish and dried fish products (other than dried abalone) exported in a consignment of not more than 2 kilograms;
3. fish products where fish or fish products are not the major component;
4. fish or fish products that are animal food or pharmaceutical material;
5. fish or fish products not covered by paragraphs (a) to (d) (other than dried abalone) exported in a consignment of not more than 10 kilograms;
6. fish or fish products in the form of a tablet or capsule;

Note

However, if Egypt​ requires a government certificate for the entry of the above goods, a certificate can be issued by the department – provided that the goods have been prepared in an export registered establishment.

​​The department has no knowledge of fish or fish products that are prohibited for import to Egypt.

Sourcing of fish and fish products

Egypt has no known specific requirements for sourcing of fish and fish products that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Sourcing, slaughter and post-mo​​rtem inspection of crocodiles

Australia does not have access for crocodile to Egypt.

​​Egypt has no known additional requirements for microbial sampling of fish and fish products that differ from those required in the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Egypt residue standards

Maximum residue limits (MRLs) or import tolerances for residues of specific agricultural and veterinary chemicals approved for use in Australia may not exist in Egypt or may be established at levels lower than those established in Australia. Maximum Limits (MLs) for contaminants may also vary between Egypt and Australia.

Food business operators should note that:

• These differences can be interrogated case-by-case by considering the Egypt standards and the Australian standards.
• Any detection of a residue above the Egypt ​MRLs/MLs (as applicable) at the border may result in rejection of the consignment.

Note

Importing country residue standards can usually be found via the official webpages of their competent authority. Links to a limited number of export markets and Australia are provided on the DAFF website.

​​Egypt has no known specific operational hygiene requirements that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Egypt has no known specific premises and equipment requirements that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

​​Egypt has no known specific requirements for the preparation of live fish that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

​​​Egypt has no known specific requirements for the preparation of non-viable fish that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Australia does not have access for crocodile to Egypt.

​​​Egypt has no known specific requirements for packaging that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

​​Egypt has no known specific requirements for labelling that differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

​​Egypt has specific requirements for use-by dates and/or shelf life under Egyptian Standard ​No.2613-2/2008.

Expiration periods for products and their preservation methods are listed in the table below.

​​Egypt has no known specific requirements for shipping marks, that differ from of the relevant Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

​​Egypt has no known specific requirements for refrigeration, transfer and loadout, that differ from of the relevant Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

​​Exporters should confirm with their importer if an import permit is required for their product.

​​​The department has no specific knowledge of port-of-entry inspection and testing for imports into Egypt. Exporters should confirm requirements with their importer or agent.

Live finfish, bivalves, crustaceans, echinoderms, gastropods, cephalopods and tunicates

For export eligible live seafood, use an FX99EG certificate.

Embedded endorsement

The FX99EG Certificate contains the following attestations;

The undersigned official inspector hereby certifies that:

1. The fishery and/or aquaculture products described above have been handled, prepared or processed, identified, stored and transported under conditions at least equivalent to those laid down in Council Directive 91/493/EEC of 22 July 1991, laying down the health conditions for the production and placing on the market of fishery products
2. In addition, in the case of frozen or processed bivalve molluscs, the latter have been fathered in a production area subject to conditions at least equivalent to those laid down in Council Directive 91/492/EEC of 15 July 1991, laying down the health conditions for the production and placing on the market of live molluscs
3. Any person working on and/or handling the fishery and/or aquaculture products described above have satisfactorily undergone the medical supervision laid down in Chapter III, Part II B of the Annex to Directive 91/493/EEC
4. The official inspector certifies that the fishery and/or aquaculture products specified above were produced under a system of monitoring check as laid down in Chapter V, Part II 3B of Annex to Directive 91/493/EEC and the results of these checks are satisfactory.

Non-viable finfish, bivalves, crustaceans, echinoderms, gastropods, cephalopods and tunicates

For export eligible non-viable seafood, use an FX99EG certificate.

Embedded endorsement

The FX99EG Certificate contains the following attestations;

The undersigned official inspector hereby certifies that:

1. The fishery and/or aquaculture products described above have been handled, prepared or processed, identified, stored and transported under conditions at least equivalent to those laid down in Council Directive 91/493/EEC of 22 July 1991, laying down the health conditions for the production and placing on the market of fishery products
2. In addition, in the case of frozen or processed bivalve molluscs, the latter have been fathered in a production area subject to conditions at least equivalent to those laid down in Council Directive 91/492/EEC of 15 July 1991, laying down the health conditions for the production and placing on the market of live molluscs
   
3. Any person working on and/or handling the fishery and/or aquaculture products described above have satisfactorily undergone the medical supervision laid down in Chapter III, Part II B of the Annex to Directive 91/493/EEC
4. The official inspector certifies that the fishery and/or aquaculture products specified above were produced under a system of monitoring check as laid down in Chapter V, Part II 3B of Annex to Directive 91/493/EEC and the results of these checks are satisfactory.

There is no agreed certification for import of crocodile meat into Egypt.

The Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021 does not regulate fish and fish products not for human consumption. Establishments processing such products are not required to be export registered with the Department unless it is a requirement of the importing country. Exporters are encouraged to confirm the eligibility and import requirements of their product with their importer, or directly with the importing country competent authority prior to export.

Importing countries may require a health certificate be provided for fish and fish products not for human consumption. If a health certificate is required, contact the department’s non-prescribed goods program at NPGExports@aff.gov.au for further information.

​​The Department is not aware of any prohibited fish products. Additional information relating to fish and fish products not for human consumption may also be found on the corresponding Meat Micor page. Exporters should check with their importers to determine if the products are permitted for import to Egypt.