How Is Fish Export from Armenia to the EU Possible

The Armenian Food Safety Inspection Body is clarifying whether Armenian exporters can export fish to EU countries without additional certification (only holding Armenian certification).

In response to a query from Sputnik Armenia, the Inspection Body reports that it has reached out to its European counterparts to determine whether Armenian certification alone is sufficient for exporting goods without going through European certification.

When asked if representatives of EU inspection bodies could require visits to Armenian fish farms, the Inspection Body replied that such visits are possible if the relevant EU bodies contact the Armenian side in advance, outline the purpose of the visit, and discuss the scope of the issues at hand.

Primary inspections should be conducted by the Inspection Body itself, but according to EU standards, companies that pass inspections must apply to register in the TRACES system. One of the conditions is that fish feed used in aquaculture should not contain antibiotics and hormonal additives.

It is worth noting that recently, the Inspection Body announced that the EU has allowed the import of fish from Armenia for producers who will register in the EU's TRACES database (the Animal Origin Products Sector Database).