The annual report of a system that helps ensure safe trade involving Europe has revealed the scale and reasons for rejected shipments.
TRACES is the online platform of the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG Sante) in the European Commission, used for sanitary, phytosanitary and food safety certification. 2024 marked the system’s 20th anniversary.
It supports the importation of animals, animal products, food and feed of non-animal origin and plants and plant products into the European Union; some intra-EU trade, and EU exports of animals, certain animal products,and plants.
Out of 5.4 million official documents and certificates issued in and sent to TRACES, about 65 percent were issued in electronic format. According to DG Sante, the system is an essential tool in the fight against fraudulent certificates and illicit trade.
Authorities can apply an electronic seal on official documents and certificates. This reduces the risk of fraudulent certificates being issued, simplifies the certification process and makes it easier to carry out and record official checks.
TRACES consists of several modules covering a range of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) certificates and documents that are required with imported products.
Data on the module for movements of animals, animal by-products and some products of animal origin show almost 792,000 certificates were issued and 59 percent were e-signed. More than 122,000 consignments were checked on route or at destination.
In 2024, there were 5,800 reported cases of non-compliance with animal health rules and 1,929 breaches of animal welfare rules.
CHED results
Under the Official Controls Regulation, a Common Health Entry Document (CHED) is required to record the findings of official checks on relevant consignments of animals and goods entering the EU.
CHED-P covers products of animal origin, animal by-products and derived products, and composite products. Most of them are issued for shipments of fishery products, meat, animal feed, and milk.
From more than 14,000 rejections, the main reasons for refusal of entry into the EU of such products were documentary and certification issues. Other problems included hygiene or temperature failures, a cold chain breakdown, and non-approved countries.
CHED-D is for consignments of food and feed of non-animal origin and food contact material. Most of them are for consignments of fruits, nuts and vegetables.
From more than 3,200 rejections, the main problem was chemical contamination. Other violations included fraudulent certificates, microbial contamination, or hygiene concerns.
“The steady annual increase in the number of official documents issued in TRACES (up by 8.5 percent from 2023) is a clear indicator of the platform’s central role in enabling trade in animals and products across borders, facilitating not just the movement of those goods, but also improving their safety, compliance and traceability,” said Sandra Gallina, director general for health and food safety.
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