EU Phyto Sanitary Recognition to Boost Mexican Exports

The EU has recognized Mexico’s SENASICA as a regulatory authority of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS). The SENASICA or the National Service for Animal Health, Food Safety, and Agricultural and Food Quality Assurance hereafter is authorized to certify the comprehensive food safety and health of all seafood and agricultural products entering the EU markets from Mexico.

By fulfilling the stringent SPS norms of the EU are likely to give a fillip to Mexico’s exports, and make it one of the few countries which satisfy the new standardization process. The traceability protocol reveals all the stages and processes by which primary products are processed, precisely as demanded by the markets that conform to the EU. According to a recent WTO proposal, the SPS certification is understood to become a basic criterion for all future shipments of seafood and agricultural products to be accepted by most countries.

Under SPS, SENASICA need to protect the plant, fish, and animal resources in the country from pests and diseases through actions of surveillance, inspection and certification. Besides, it should ensure food safety by implementing the practice of producing and consuming food free from contamination at every level of production, industrialization and commercialization.

The head of SENASICA, Enrique Sanchez Cruz underscored the work carried out within the protocol of understanding to activate the harmonization of SPS between Mexico and countries that integrate to the EU. He said this after the finalization of the Facilitation Project of the Mexico and European Union Free Trade Treaty (PROTLCUEM) meet.

The EU recognition will largely benefit shrimp exports of Mexico as it is one of the major seafood which is in high demand among the EU member-states. The agreements reached within the framework of the FTA between Mexico and the EU is believed to enhance the sales of tuna, shrimp and bivalve molluscs to the union’s market.

By Jose Roy