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FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE
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| On July 20, 1999, the United States and the European Union signed the
Veterinary
Equivalency Agreement in Brussels. Commission
Decision 2003/833/EC amends the Annexes to the Agreement on sanitary
measures to protect public and animal health.
Commission Decision 2003/863/EC establishes model health certificates
for the importation of gelatin and collagen from the U.S. The agreement covers more than $1.5 billion in U.S. animal and animal product
exports to the EU and an equal value of EU exports to the United States.
Commission Decision 2005/405/EC changes provisions on Enterobacteriaceae
audit guidelines. The concept of the equivalency agreement allows veterinary inspection requirements to differ between the U.S. and the EU but ensures the United States' right to establish its own level of public health protection. The signing of the agreement is the result of six years of negotiating and compromising on both USDA's and the EU's part. The overall framework for the veterinary equivalency agreement was agreed to in April 1997. To date, the EU has also concluded veterinary equivalency agreements with Canada, New Zealand and Chile. Negotiations are ongoing with Australia and Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay). Reports |