UAE egg supplies have declined in recent months following the imposition of import bans due to the detection of Avian Influenza in key egg exporting countries. Companies considering exporting eggs to the UAE may wish to review these requirements closely to ensure that they are consistent with international requirements.

Disclaimer: This summary is based on an informal translation of the decree into English and is a cursory review of the subject announcement and therefore should not, under any circumstances, be viewed as a definitive reading of the regulation in question, or of its implications for US agricultural export trade interests. In the event of a discrepancy or discrepancies between this summa ry and the complete decree published in Arabic, the latter shall prevail.

ATO Dubai Analysis: Egg supplies in the UAE have been hampered by bans on imports of table eggs from Saudi Arabia and India due to detections of Avian Influenza in those countries. In some cases, retail stores have had to ration sales and industry reports indicate that eggs are simply not available in some stores and hotels. This new decree appears to be an attempt to tighten import procedures during a period of scarcity and high prices.

Exporters, regulators and interested parties may wish to review these requirements closely. ATO Dubai believes that at least two of the requirements could prove to be problematic for US egg exporters.

1. The requirement that each egg be printed with the date of production, expiration and name of the farm is a long standing UAE requirement that is repeated in this decree. ATO Dubai is aware of a several local importers who have sought to import eggs from the United States in recent months. However, the requirement to stamp or print each egg is one that has proven to be problematic for US suppliers in light of the relatively small volumes of eggs that are imported by the UAE.
   
   
2. The requirement that a country be free of Avian Influenza for at least six months may be inconsistent with World Animal Health Organization (OIE) principles that allow for the regionalization of countries, zones, or compartments following the detection of certain diseases.

Further Reading

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You can view the full report by clicking here.

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You can visit the Avian Flu page by clicking here.