Egypt wins EU approval for farmed fish, crustacean exports
Egypt has secured European Union approval to export farmed fish and crustaceans to the bloc’s 27 member states, opening new market opportunities for the country’s aquaculture industry, the National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) said on Thursday.
The approval was formalised under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2228, dated 14 Oct. and published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Thursday. The regulation amends Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/405, which sets the lists of third countries authorised to export certain animals and food products to the EU. It adds Egypt to the list of countries with approved control plans for aquaculture, and extends Egypt’s existing entry in the list of authorised fishery products to cover farmed fish and crustaceans.
The European Commission said Egypt had submitted a control plan covering farmed finfish, finfish products and crustaceans. The plan provided the required guarantees, and Egypt supplied evidence that the products comply with relevant EU requirements.
The regulation is due to enter into force 20 days after publication, on 4 Nov. Being listed is a precondition for exporting to the EU. Individual exporters must still meet the bloc’s other import requirements.
“Egypt has submitted a control plan for aquaculture, namely, finfish and finfish products, and crustaceans. The plan provides the required guarantees, and should therefore be approved. In addition, Egypt has provided evidence and guarantees that finfish and finfish products and crustaceans comply with the relevant Union requirements,” the EU decision read.
“Egypt should therefore be listed with an ‘X’ for aquaculture without remarks in Annex -I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/405, and the entry for Egypt in Annex IX to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/405 should be extended to aquaculture: finfish and finfish products and crustaceans.”
The NFSA said the approval follows two years of technical and regulatory work led by the authority in cooperation with the Lakes and Fish Resources Protection and Development Agency (LFRPDA), the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), the General Organisation for Veterinary Services, and Egypt’s commercial representation office in Brussels. The effort also involved private-sector representatives and the Food Export Council, it added.
The work included preparing technical and regulatory documentation to meet EU requirements, strengthening controls on contaminant residues and prohibited substances, and developing the regulatory and oversight frameworks governing the aquaculture sector, according to the NFSA.
NFSA Chairman Tarek El-Houby said the approval could help Egyptian producers diversify export markets, expand sales opportunities, and increase the value added to domestic products.
The authority said it would continue strengthening food safety inspections and regulatory oversight, in coordination with government agencies and private-sector companies, to ensure sustained compliance with foreign-market requirements.