The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) carried out an audit in China in November 2025, published on February 19, 2026, finding official controls on poultry and rabbit meat production for the EU market inadequate. Certifications are undermined by missing or unreliable traceability data, lack of proper segregation for EU-bound versus non-EU products, and deficiencies in animal welfare at slaughter, hygiene, and certification reliability.
Imports from China surged 33.6% in 2025 (January-October), hitting around 50,000 tonnes, making it the EU’s fifth-largest poultry supplier after Brazil, Ukraine, the UK, and Thailand. AVEC, representing 95% of EU poultry production, urges a precautionary suspension of imports to safeguard public health and ensure fair competition, referencing past cases like Carne Fraca. EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi outlined a clear action list for China, to be addressed by late February 2026, or face further steps.
These issues threaten consumer trust in uniform EU standards for all market products.
