Animals and Plants (Sanitary and Phytosanitary)

Responsible Authority:

Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

Ordinance(s)/Regulation(s) and Brief Description:

The Public Health (Animals and Birds) Ordinance (Cap 139) and the Rabies Ordinance (Cap 421) provide for the prevention and introduction of animal disease and rabies through regulating the import of animals and birds into Hong Kong, China. Under these Ordinances, animals, including dogs, cats, birds, poultry, ostriches, reptiles, horses and breeding pigs, must not be brought into Hong Kong, China before a permit is granted. Specifically, the Public Health (Animals and Birds)(Chemical Residues) Regulation (Cap 139N) establishes a list of prohibited chemicals and maximum residue limits for agricultural and veterinary chemicals in food animals. Separately, the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132) prohibits the sale of any food that are unwholesome, adulterated or unfit for human consumption, including those containing excessive level of agricultural and veterinary chemical residues.

The Plant (Importation and Pest Control) Ordinance (Cap 207) stipulates that any plant imported into Hong Kong, China must be accompanied by a Plant Import Licence issued by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and a valid Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the competent authority in the country of its origin. However, such requirements are exempted for cut flowers, vegetables/fruits/seeds for consumption, timbers, timber products or plants produced in and imported from Mainland China.

Conformity Assessment Mechanism:

Pre-market certification:

Animals and plants to be imported into Hong Kong, China must be covered by a valid permit and a plant import licence issued by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department respectively. The consignment must also be accompanied by a valid veterinary or phytosanitary certificate. Imported food animals must be accompanied by a valid certificate specifying that the food animals do not contain prohibited chemicals or any agricultural or veterinary chemicals that exceed the maximum residue limit.

Post-market surveillance:

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department acts on complaints and reports. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department tests samples of animal tissue of the food animals after slaughter for presence of prohibited chemicals or agricultural and veterinary chemicals in excess of the maximum residue limits.

Standards: