The European Commission’s latest TRACES report has revealed the primary reasons food imports were denied entry into the EU in 2024.

The Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) is the EU’s digital platform for managing sanitary, phytosanitary, and food safety certification. Operated by the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG Sante), the system supports official controls on the trade of food, feed, animals, and plants, both within the EU and with non-EU countries. In 2024, TRACES marked its 20^th year of operation.

According to the report, in 2024, authorities reported 5,800 cases in which consignments failed to meet EU animal health requirements. Additionally, there were 1,929 instances in which consignments violated EU animal welfare laws.

For documented border checks for products of animal origin, mainly comprising food and feed, more than 14,000 imports were refused entry into the EU. Reasons included improper documentation/certification, hygiene breaches, temperature abuse, and consignments from prohibited countries.

More than 3,200 consignments of food and feed of non-animal origin and food contact materials (FCMs) were rejected at the EU border in 2024, reasons for which included chemical and microbiological contamination, certification fraud, and hygiene breaches.