European Union

1.1. Prohibited

The Department is not aware of any prohibited edible non-prescribed products, including apiculture products for this market.

1.2. Conditions

Government certification

Australian producers and exporters of animal products should understand and adhere to the requirements under regulation EC2019/628 concerning official certificates for certain animals and goods. In particular, the export certificate must be issued before the consignment departs Australia (Article 3).

Packaging requirements

Ban on use of PFAS in paper and cardboard food contact materials

Denmark has banned paper and cardboard food contact material containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (for example, from recycled paper and cardboard or from printing inks), unless the food contact materials are separated from the food by a functional barrier which prevents the migration of PFAS substances to the food.

The ban came into effect from 1 July 2020.

Food processors may be asked by importers to demonstrate that materials in contact with foods such as non-prescribed goods, do not contain any PFAS or if they do, are used with a functional barrier to ensure no migration to food can occur.

While Denmark is currently the only EU member state to take action on use of PFAS in food contact materials, it is noted that individual member states and the EU as a whole are considering risks associated with human exposures to PFAS and similar proposals may be made at a later date in other jurisdictions.

The Department encourages all exporters to work with their importer to ensure that product meets the current importing country requirements.

Labelling requirements

Exporters should be aware of European Union (EU) labelling requirements, including allergen statement requirements, as detailed in EU Regulation No 1169/2011.

Conditions

The European Commission (DG SANTE) has adopted a regulation setting a limit for the presence of trans fatty acids in food (two grams of industrially produced trans fat per 100 grams of fat). The new limit will apply to food intended for the final consumer and food intended for supply to retail in the European Union from 2 April 2021.

Residues

Export Destination Residues Warning – EU 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 the EU or may be established at levels lower than those established in Australia. Respective maximum limits (MLs) for contaminants may also vary between the EU and Australia.

Food business operators who are eligible to export to the EU should note that:

1. a) These differences can be interrogated case-by-case by considering the EU standards (here for pesticides, veterinary drugs and contaminants) and the Australian standards (here for pesticides & veterinary drugs and here for contaminants).
2. b) Any detection of a residue above the EU MRLs/MLs (if applicable) at the EU border would result in rejection of the consignment and trigger an information, alert and/or border rejection notification in the (public) EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).

2.1. Prohibited

In accordance with Article 25, Chapter VIII of Regulation (EU) No 142/2011, beeswax in the form of honeycomb is a prohibited import into the European Union.

2.2. Conditions

Apiculture by-products

Establishments that produce/process some inedible apiculture products to the EU must be listed on the European Commission's (EC) website. Listing of new establishments that produce/ process inedible products for export to the EU generally takes up to two months.

Apiculture by-products are defined in Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 as honey, beeswax, royal jelly, propolis or pollen not intended for human consumption.

Beeswax in the form of honeycomb

In accordance with Article 25, Chapter VIII of Regulation (EU) No 142/2011, beeswax in the form of honeycomb is a prohibited import into the European Union.

Apiculture by-products intended exclusively for use in apiculture (bee keeping)

Apiculture by-products must have been produced in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 and (EC) No 1069/2009.

For the English only certificate, use M453 (Manual only)

For the English/French bilingual certificate, use M454 (Manual only)

For the English/German bilingual certificate, use M455 (Manual only)

Certification attestations

I, the undersigned official veterinarian, declare that I have read and understood Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1a) and in particular Article 10 thereof, and Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 (1b), and in particular Annex XIV, Chapter II thereof, and certify that the apiculture by-products described above:

come from an area where the diseases listed below are officially notifiable and which is not subject to any restrictions associated with:

1. American foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae)
2. Acariosis (Acarapis woodi (Rennie))
3. Small hive beetle (aethina tumida)
4. Tropilaelaps mites (Tropilaelaps spp.)

have been:

Either subjected to a temperature of -12 degrees Celsius or lower for at least 24 hours,
OR
In the case of wax, refined or processed in accordance with processing method 1-2-3-4-5-7 (2), as set out Chapter III of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 142/2011.

For beeswax, other than beeswax in the form of honeycomb, exported for purposes other than feeding to farmed animals

• The beeswax must only be derived from Category 3 materials referred to in Article 10(e) of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009.
• The beeswax must have been produced in accordance with the requirements of Annex XIV, Chapter II, Section I, Table 2, Row 10. of Regulation (EU) No 142/2011.
• The beeswax must be refined before export,
  
• OR
• It must have been processed in accordance with processing methods 1 to 5 or 7, as set out in Annex IV, Chapter III of Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 before export.

Other inedible non-prescribed goods

Compliance with relevant Australian domestic requirements. The Department is unaware of any certification requirements for this market.

1. Preconditions for market access

1.1 Import permit

Exporters are not required to obtain an import permit.

1.2 Listing and audit

Establishments that produce/process edible apiculture products to the EU must be listed on the European Commission's website. Listing of new establishments generally takes up to three months.

In order to be listed on the European Commission's website, Australian producers and packers of edible apiculture products must be listed with the Department as EU eligible and have a current certificate of compliance for a HACCP-based food safety management program.

1.3 Prohibited products

The Department is not aware of any prohibited edible apiculture products for this market.

2. Documentation requirements

2.1 Government certification

The following export certificates are available as a manual only certificates:

To request certification for EU Member countries that require bilingual certificates, exporters are advised to contact the Department through ExportStandards@awe.gov.au

Australian producers, packers and exporters of edible apiculture should understand and adhere to the requirements under regulation EC2019/628 concerning official certificates for certain animals and goods. In particular, the export certificate must be issued before the consignment departs Australia (Article 3).

Where applicable, the container number and seal number must be indicated in section I.19 of the export certificate. The following document provides instructions on how to complete certificate number EUHGB:

• EUHGB 2020 04 07 Instructional (PDF 150 KB)

2.2 Supporting documents and exporter declarations

Australian honey only

A manufacturer's declaration is required to confirm that the honey is 100% Australian origin and unblended with imported honey.

Blended honey

Only honey originating from countries eligible to export to the EU, as outlined in Decision 2019/525/EU (and subsequent legislation amending Decision 2011/163/EU), may be used to blend honey destined for export to the EU. This requirement also applies to honey that is imported to Australia for repackaging and then exported to the EU.

An exporter's declaration is required to confirm the honey for export is either Australian honey blended with imported honey or is 100 per cent imported honey.

To obtain an export certificate to export to the EU honey that has been blended with honey from third countries the exporter must provide certification or a letter on official letterhead from the agricultural authorities of the third countries with the following attestations:

I, the undersigned, declare that I am aware of the relevant provisions of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 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 (OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1), Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (OJ L 139, 30.4,2004, p, 1) and Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 55) and certify that honey, royal jelly and other apiculture products described above were produced in accordance with those requirements, in particular that they:

• come from (an) establishment(s) implementing a programme based on HACCP principles in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 852/2004;
• have been handled and, where appropriate, prepared, packaged and stored in a hygienic manner in accordance with the requirements of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 852/2004; 
  and
  
• the guarantees covering live animals and products thereof provided by the residue plans submitted in accordance with Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996 on measures to monitor certain substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products and repealing Directives 85/358/EEC and 86/469/EEC and Decisions 89/187/EEC and 91/664/EEC (OJ L 125, 23.5.1996, p. 10), and in particular Article 29 thereof, are fulfilled.

3. Other requirements

Australian producers, packers and exporters of edible apiculture products must understand and implement provisions set out in the following European regulations:

• (EC) No. 2002/178 relating to general food laws, including traceability
• (EC) No. 2004/852 relating to food hygiene
• (EC) No. 2004/853 relating to specific rules for food of animal origin

Edible apiculture products must have been handled and where appropriate prepared, packaged and stored in a hygienic manner in accordance with the requirements of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 852/2004.

Exporters should be aware of EU labelling requirements, including allergen statement requirements, as detailed in EU Regulation No 1169/2011.

Edible apiculture products exported to the EU must comply with European Directive 96/23/EC, which sets EU standards for residues of agricultural and veterinary chemicals and environmental contaminants. The Department's National Residue Survey honey program gives the EU adequate assurance of the compliance of Australian edible apiculture products. Edible apiculture products must be solely of Australian origin or blended with products imported from countries that meet the EU's requirements for residue testing.

Each year, Australia and other countries that export animal products to the EU submit their residue monitoring programs for assessment. The Commission then publishes its results of its assessment. This decision is amended and placed on the EUR-Lex website periodically. Decision 2015/1338/EU is in force and includes a list of countries that have been accepted as meeting the EU’s residue requirements and whose honey could be included in blended products for export to the EU.

4. Exemptions granted by the European Union

Products of animal origin, composite products, products derived from animal by-products, plants, plant products and other objects which form part of passengers’ personal luggage and which are intended for personal consumption or use, are exempted from official controls at EU border control posts provided that their combined quantity does not exceed a weight limit of 2 kg, as written in the Commission Regulation (EC) No 2019/2122.