US, EU to Restart Trade in Oysters, Clams, Mussels and Scallops Beginning Feb. 27
Importers and exporters will again be able to ship bivalve molluscan shellfish to and from the EU beginning in late February, following the conclusion of negotiations Feb. 4 to allow for resumption of bilateral trade, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a press release late that day. “For the first time since 2011, U.S. producers, beginning in the states of Massachusetts and Washington, are eligible to export live, raw and processed bivalve molluscan shellfish to the EU, including oysters, clams, mussels, and whole or roe-on scallops,” USTR said. “EU producers in Spain and the Netherlands are also now to export live and raw bivalve molluscan shellfish to the United States.”
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
The EU on Feb. 7 amended its regulations on the importation of U.S. shellfish and published the export health certificate that will be issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for exports of U.S. shellfish to the EU, FDA said in an emailed update.
NOAA posted additional information on exports of shellfish to the U.S. on its website. “As with all EU exports, the U.S. harvester, producer, processor, storage facility, and any associated shipper will be required to have a current valid EU approval number,” NOAA said. “While molluscan shellfish shipments to the EU were not permitted previously, going forward the NOAA Seafood Inspection Program will be able to provide certification for live product that meets all eligibility requirements.”