The European Commission’s Health and Safety Division has published two assessments examining horsemeat export regulations in Uruguay and Argentina.
DG Sante’s audit in Uruguay in October and November 2022 made seven recommendations, stating that some of the measures taken since the last visit in 2018 did not resolve past issues. There was found.
Horsemeat exports to the EU were 3,363 tonnes, 4,356 tonnes and 3,301 tonnes in 2020, 2021 and 2022. These volumes make Uruguay the second largest exporter to Europe.
traceability gap
The audit found that although the management system covered the movement of horses before slaughter, it did not adequately supervise movement between horse care and the use of veterinary medicines.
Santé said live horse traceability systems also do not provide the necessary assurance. Once a horse is slaughtered, traceability to its origin can no longer be guaranteed. In one case presented to the audit team and sanctioned, authorities were unable to trace more than 200 animals that were in a dealer’s storage area.
At one source of horses for slaughter in the EU, authorities identified a number of horses of unknown origin, and there were also media reports of a police investigation into horse smuggling from Brazil. This raises concerns about the robustness of identification and traceability systems, the auditors said. Since May 2015, Uruguay has banned the import of live horses for slaughter from Brazil.
There are three meat processing plants registered in the EU. All facilities visited met EU structural and sanitary requirements and no animal welfare issues were identified at slaughterhouse level.
Argentina survey results
The audit conducted in Argentina from October to November 2022 showed improvements from previous visits in 2018 and 2020. However, some of the corrective actions did not effectively address previous shortcomings regarding horse identification and traceability and the reliability of supporting documentation, Santé said.
According to the information provided, approximately 9,500 tonnes of horsemeat was exported to the EU in 2020 and 2022, and approximately 11,000 tonnes were exported to the EU in 2021.
The State Agriculture, Food and Health Quality Authority (SENASA) has supported a project with the meat industry aimed at electronic and digital identification of rural horses equipped with microchips. But auditors said it was still unclear when it would be fully operational and which areas would be targeted.
The audit team found evidence that some horse owners, including officials from two of the country’s largest horse suppliers, had made false statements under oath. They said the horses were kept in the feedlot for 180 days before being slaughtered, but the information in the database showed they were either out of stock or insufficiently stocked at the time the declaration was made.
In response, the authorities will disable the ability for owners to issue documents directly through the database and ensure that sufficient inventory is held 180 days in advance of the declaration date before issuing transfer documents or declarations. requested local authorities to do so.
Auditors noted that physical examinations of horses sent to slaughter are not required. That should change thanks to new rules requiring SENASA employees to conduct unannounced inspections.
At the time of the audit, there were four horse slaughterhouses registered in the EU. All facilities, except one abattoir’s cold storage and expedition areas, met EU construction and hygiene requirements, and three facilities had adequate operational hygiene.
Both audits found only a few animal welfare violations. The facility was given advance notice of the date of the inspector’s visit, and the Animal Welfare Foundation said it believed advance warning of the audit would allow the facility to cover up poor conditions that compromised animal welfare.
The group said horsemeat imports from Uruguay and Argentina should be stopped because compliance with EU regulations could not be guaranteed.
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