14 April 2006 - On April 3, 2006 the UK Government issued updated guidance to UK Port Health Authorities regarding the import of gelatin capsules (both filled and unfilled) for food supplements for human consumption. The guidance, which ends the requirement for an export health certificate and veterinary checks, brings the UK into line with the rest of the EU. This announcement ends the effective block on exports of this type of U.S. gelatin capsule directly to the UK.
On April 3, 2006 the UK Government’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) wrote to UK Port Health Authorities providing updated guidance on the import of gelatin capsules (both filled and unfilled) for food supplements for human consumption.This guidance ends the requirement for an export health certificate and veterinary checks.It is based on a 14 March, 2006 letter from the EU Commission to Permanent Representatives and their guidance (Explanatory Memorandum) attached to that letter.The letter harmonizes the import arrangements across the EU, the new regime broadly following that for the import of gelatin capsules for pharmaceutical purposes which only require a “Certificate of suitability”.This brings the UK into line with the rest of the EU, ending the effective block on exports of this type of U.S. gelatin capsule directly to the UK which has been in place since March, 2004.
The guidance, in full, is available on the FSA website at:
http://www.food.gov.uk/enforcement/imports
Prior to this announcement, unlike other member states which only require health certification on raw/bulk gelatin, the UK took the view that gelatin that has been formed into capsules (perhaps with the addition of one or two minor ingredients) should be treated in the same way as raw/bulk gelatin.As such, the UK authorities required that gelatin capsules for food use, filled or unfilled, be accompanied by the export health certificate agreed between the U.S. and the EU for all U.S. shipments of raw/bulk gelatin for human consumption to the EU, traded under HS code 3503.The competent authority for gelatin in the U.S., the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), can only sign export health certificates for gelatin produced in EU approved gelatin establishments.FDA cannot sign export health certificates for capsules as they cannot provide guarantees on the origin of the gelatin, which is produced in different establishments to the capsules.As such, U.S. gelatin capsules destined for food use were effectively blocked from being exported directly to the UK.