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Certification Policy for Wild Game Meat and Small Wild Game Bird Meat for Export to the European Union

AHPD-DSAE-2006-3-1

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From time to time, Canadian outfitters host hunters from European Union (EU) member countries who wish to take the results of their hunt on Canadian soil home with them.

In such cases, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) veterinarians are called upon to provide the certification required for the entry of products obtained from hunting into EU member countries.

Under Decision 2002/995/EC, personal parcels containing meat, meat products, milk, or dairy products can be introduced at the designated ports of entry to the EU only if the necessary documents have been obtained from the official services of the country of origin (in other words, CFIA health certificates), these products are declared, and the documents are presented upon arrival at the EU border, for the purposes of veterinary control. Decision 2002/995/EC applies to wild game meat and small wild game bird meat.

1. Wild game meat

1.1 Certificate Model RUW of Decision 2004/882/EC must be used for the certification of wild game meat, including the meat of wild cervids, for export to the EU.

a) In the Canadian context, items 9.3.1 and 10.3 of Certificate Model RUW cannot be certified for wild game meat obtained from outfitted hunting.

b) Item 9.3.1 requires a negative test for chronic wasting disease (CWD).

c) Item 10.3 requires carcasses to be transported within 12 hours of slaughter to a collection centre and then to a treatment establishment, both of which must be approved for export to the EU. In Canada, only two establishments are approved for the export of cervid meat to the EU; one is in Alberta and the other is in Nunavut.

Given that the distance between outfitters and these approved establishments is too great and that these establishments must be given prior notice, CFIA veterinarians cannot certify wild cervid meat obtained from Canadian outfitted hunting for export to the EU.

2. Small wild game bird meat

2.1 Certificate Model D of Decision 2000/585/EC must be used for the certification of small wild game bird meat for export to the EU.

Items 1. (b), 1. (c) and 1. (d) of certificate Module D cannot be certified for small wild game bird meat.

a) 1. (b) states that the meat comes from animals that, after death, were transported within 12 hours to a collection centre and/or an approved wild game processing house for chilling.

b) 1. (c) states that the meat comes from a collection centre and/or an approved wild game processing house that, at the time of dressing, is/are not under restrictions due to a suspected or actual outbreak of avian influenza or Newcastle disease.

c) 1. (d) states that the meat has, during all stages of its production, been handled, stored and transported in accordance with the health requirements of Council Directive 92/45/EEC and strictly separated from meat:

• not conforming to the requirements laid down in Directive 92/45/EEC;
• not conforming to the requirements laid down in Decision 2000/585/EC.

Since these conditions cannot be met, CFIA veterinarians cannot certify small wild game bird meat obtained from Canadian outfitted hunting for export to the EU.

NB: No modifications (deletions and/or additions) can be made to Certificate Model RUW or Certificate Model D, because such an act is contrary to the animal health rules set out by Directive 2002/99/EC for products of animal origin for human consumption, as the health conditions for the importation of products in this category are harmonized under Regulation (EC) Number 745/2004. Modifications to harmonized certificates can only occur via the comitology process, that is, after study by the committees of the EU.

3. Trophies

3.1 If the hunters wish to take the results of their hunt home with them as trophies, certificates HA2058 and HA2059 must be used, in accordance with Regulation (EC) Number 1774/2002.

Please ensure that this certification policy is distributed to all veterinarians that could be approached for the certification of wild game meat and/or small wild game bird meat for export to the EU, whether they are from Animal Health or Meat Inspection. This policy will also be available on the CFIA Web site.

Please notify the outfitters in your region as well.

Prepared by:
Françoise Gagnon, DVM
May 30, 2006