The certificate came into force on 1 January this year and was established by Circular No. 295/2013, published by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
According to the deputy director of DIPOA, Leandro Feijoo, the need to establish a standard document came with the intention to strengthen the verification activities at the borders of the country. As products arrived with different certificates, it was hard to certify authenticity.
After the implementation of the health certification model, more than 60 containers were found in the ports of Itajaí (SC) and Suape (PE) with documents that do not meet the new rules.
The Ministry of Agriculture, along with the Attorney General of the Union (AGU), has succeeded in almost 100 per cent of the lawsuits filed, explaining to lawyers the need to meet the health requirements that protect public and animal health.
The goal of the implementation of the single specimen certificate is to establish the health requirements based on the Codex Alimentarius. The WTO is the body responsible for the dissemination of this model and gives insight to many countries exporting fish and fish products to Brazil.
