Halal meat export from Spain and the EU: process, regulations and documents

Every order is different, but the halal meat export process usually follows the same order. Most delays happen in the early steps, when requirements are unclear, not during transport.

1. Specification: species, cuts, fresh or frozen, packing, quantity, destination port, halal standard and labelling rules of the destination country.
2. Approval check: is the producing plant eligible for this country, and is the halal certifier accepted there? The answer decides which supply is possible.
3. Offer: origin, plant, price, quantity, Incoterm and lead time are stated in the offer.
4. Contract and payment terms: for example advance payment or a letter of credit, plus the document list the bank or buyer requires.
5. Production and packing with labels approved in advance by the importer.
6. Certificates: veterinary health certificate, halal certificate for the shipment, certificate of origin if required.
7. Export customs clearance and loading into a reefer container, with temperature records.
8. Documents to the importer so the goods can be cleared at destination.

For the order side in general, see our guide how to order halal meat wholesale.

For a halal meat export within Europe, EU food law applies on both sides. Meat from an EU-approved plant carries the oval identification mark under Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and travels with a commercial document. Official veterinary certificates for meat between member states are the exception, not the rule; where they are required, they run through TRACES.

• Intra-EU: no customs declaration; for VAT the supply to a business with a valid EU VAT number is normally exempt, the buyer accounts for VAT in its own country.
• Third country: export declaration to customs, export VAT exemption with proof of exit, a health certificate issued by the authorities and whatever the importing country additionally requires.

The halal side is the same in both cases: the halal status comes from the slaughter and the certificate, not from the destination. What changes is whether the destination's authorities must recognise the certifier, which is common outside the EU. The tax treatment is set by the VAT Directive (Directive 2006/112/EC); your tax adviser confirms the details for your case.

The content of a halal meat export health certificate is not set by the exporter. The importing country defines it, often in a model certificate negotiated with the EU or with the individual member state. Typical statements cover:

• the approval number of the slaughterhouse, cutting plant and cold store;
• animal health conditions in the region of origin;
• ante- and post-mortem inspection and fitness for human consumption;
• production and expiry dates, lot numbers, net weight and number of packages;
• container and seal numbers, consignee and port of destination.

In Spain, export certificates for products of animal origin and the conditions agreed with each third country are published by the authorities on the CEXGAN portal, together with lists of establishments authorised for certain destinations. Other member states have their own national systems.

The certificate must match the shipment exactly. A wrong consignee name, a missing seal number or a date in the wrong format can stop a container at the port of destination. That is why the certificate data is agreed with the importer before loading.

Halal meat export regulations combine two layers: veterinary rules and halal rules. They are checked separately.

• Plant approval: some importing countries keep their own lists of foreign plants allowed to ship to them. A plant that is fully approved in the EU is not automatically on that list.
• Recognised certifier: several countries only accept halal certificates from certifiers registered or accredited with their own authority. A certificate from a body that is not on that list may not be accepted at customs.
• Halal certificate per shipment: in addition to the general certificate of the plant, many importers want a document for the specific consignment, with lot numbers, quantities and container number.
• Halal standard: questions such as stunning or mechanical slaughter of poultry are judged differently by certifiers and schools of law. The importer's certifier or imam decides what is required; we do not give our own ruling.

How certificates are read and checked is explained in halal certificates for meat. Which approvals apply to a given offer is stated in that offer; we do not assume them in advance.

A reefer is a container with its own cooling unit, connected to power on the terminal and on board. It holds a temperature; it does not cool down warm goods. The meat must therefore be loaded at the right core temperature.

• Frozen: suitable for long transit times, for example by sea to the Gulf or Asia. Set point and loading temperature are agreed in the contract.
• Chilled: Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 sets maximum temperatures, for red meat 7 °C and for poultry 4 °C. For export, vacuum packing and a shelf life that covers transit, customs and sale at destination are decisive.
• Documentation: set point, pre-cooling, loading temperature and data logger records travel with the shipment.

Many importing countries also require a minimum remaining shelf life on arrival. This is the most common reason why a route is only possible for frozen goods. More on temperatures in the halal meat cold chain and on frozen products in frozen halal meat.

Incoterms 2020 of the International Chamber of Commerce are the common language for delivery terms. For a halal meat export from Spain, the choice is mainly about who books the reefer:

• FCA / FOB: the buyer organises the main transport; the seller hands over the goods cleared for export.
• CFR / CIF: the seller pays sea freight to the port of destination, under CIF also insurance; the risk passes on loading.
• DAP: the seller delivers to a named place at destination; import clearance stays with the buyer.

On the customs side, the export is declared electronically in the EU export system under the Union Customs Code. The document set usually includes:

• commercial invoice and packing list with net and gross weights per lot;
• export declaration with its movement reference number;
• bill of lading or air waybill;
• veterinary health certificate and halal certificate;
• certificate of origin or preferential proof of origin, depending on the destination and any trade agreement;
• where demanded, legalised copies.

Which Incoterm and which documents apply is stated in each offer.

For sale inside the EU, Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and the origin rules for meat apply. For export, the importing country decides. Points that should be clarified before production:

• Language: which languages, and whether stickers are allowed or the print must be on the packaging.
• Dates: production and expiry date, format and order of day, month and year.
• Halal mark: logo and name of the recognised certifier, as permitted by that certifier.
• Product name and cut in the terms used at destination.
• Identification mark of the EU plant, net weight, storage temperature, lot number.
• Registration: some markets require products or labels to be registered before the first import.

A label proof approved in writing by the importer avoids most problems at destination. If the goods are sold under the importer's own brand, see private label halal meat.

Many questions about a halal meat export can only be answered by the importer, because they depend on the rules and authorities in the destination country. A complete enquiry includes:

• Company data: name and address exactly as they must appear on certificates and the bill of lading, plus registration or import licence numbers.
• Import permit: if the destination requires a permit per shipment or per year.
• Recognised certifiers and plants: which halal certifiers and which approval lists the destination accepts.
• Product specification: species, cuts, fresh or frozen, packing, carton weights, labels.
• Logistics: port of destination, Incoterm, preferred carrier if the importer books freight.
• Payment and documents: payment terms and, for a letter of credit, the exact list of documents the bank requires.

With this information we check which supply is possible and send an offer stating origin, plant, approvals, price, quantity and lead time. Send your enquiry via the contact page.