The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) conducts international verification activities to help ensure food imported into Canada meets Canadian requirements. These activities may include assessing the food control system of an exporting country, verification of food controls in specific foreign establishments preparing food for export to Canada or assessing and establishing organic equivalency with the trading partner. We aim to ensure that the systems and controls implemented by our trading partners are aligned with those in Canada.
On this page
- Audits and assessments of foreign food control systems
- Foreign establishment verifications
- Assessments and peer reviews under the CFIA Organic equivalency arrangements
- Final reports
Audits and assessments of foreign state food control systems
The CFIA periodically conducts audits and assessments of the food control systems of Canada's trading partners as:
- a pre-requisite to trade where Canada has established specific import requirements
- a part of system recognition negotiation where Canada wants to recognize a foreign food control system, that provides comparable outcomes and meets Canadian requirements
- an assessment of food controls where there is ongoing trade between Canada and an exporting country
Foreign establishment verifications
The CFIA conducts on-site foreign establishment verifications in countries that manufacture or produce food for export to Canada. The main objectives of foreign establishment verifications are to:
- observe how the food processing conditions provide the same level of protection and the products meet Canadian import requirements, as compared to food manufactured, and/or produced in Canada
- promote compliance of Canadian requirements with foreign trading partners
- gather information to further address the risks associated with imported foods and help better refine the import surveillance work within Canada
Assessments and peer reviews under the CFIA Organic equivalency arrangements
The CFIA forms organic equivalency arrangements with other countries by comparing regulatory systems and standards to ensure consistent principles and outcomes. They verify these arrangements' effectiveness through peer reviews.
Final reports
A
Argentina
B
Brazil
C
Chile
- 2023 – Foreign Establishment Verification for Fresh and Processed Fruit Products in Chile
- 2022 – CFIA Virtual Audit of Chile's Meat Inspection Systems Governing the Production of Meat and Meat Products – February 14 to 28, 2022
- 2019 – CFIA's Assessment of Chile's Food Safety System for Fresh Fruit
- 2018 – Canadian Audit of the Chilean Bivalve Mollusc Sanitation Program Final Report
Costa Rica
- 2023 – Foreign Establishment Verification for Fresh and Processed Fruit Products in Costa Rica
- 2018 – Assessment Report of Costa Rica's Food Safety Control System for Fresh Fruit
E
European Union (EU)
- 2022 – Final report of virtual audit of Austria's meat inspection system governing the production of bovine and swine meat and meat products – March 14 to 23, 2022
- 2021 – Final report of virtual audit of Denmark's meat inspection system governing the production of bovine and swine meat and meat products – March 15 to 24, 2021
- 2021 – Final report of a virtual audit conducted in the Netherlands to evaluate meat inspection systems governing the production of bovine and swine meat and meat products – February 15 to 24, 2021
- 2019 – Final report of an audit of the European Union Member States Meat Inspection Systems governing the production of bovine, swine and poultry meat and meat products – February 13 to 22, 2019 and June 24 to July 11, 2019
- 2018 – Final report of an audit conducted in Hungary to evaluate the meat inspection system governing the production of rabbit meat and meat products intended for export to Canada – October 2 and 10 to October 12, 2017
- 2018 – Evaluating the food safety systems governing the production of pork and poultry meat and meat products for export to Canada
- 2015 – Evaluating The Food Safety Systems Governing The Production of Beef And Beef Products For Export To Canada
F
France
G
Guatemala
I
Indonesia
Italy
M
Mexico
- 2022 – Foreign Establishment Verification for Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Products in Mexico
- 2019 – Evaluating the Food Safety Systems Governing the Production of Meat and Meat products Intended for Export to Canada
- 2017 – Canadian Assessment of Mexico's Food Safety Control System for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
- 2016 – Canadian Audit of the Mexican Shellfish Sanitation Program
P
Paraguay
People's Republic of China
S
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
South Korea
- 2023 – Foreign Establishment Verification for fresh Enoki mushrooms in South Korea
- 2022 – Canadian Virtual Audit of the Republic of Korea Shellfish Sanitation Program Final Report
- 2018 – Final Report of an Audit of the Poultry Meat Inspection System of South Korea
Spain
T
Thailand
U
United States of America
- 2023 – Final Report of a Maintenance Audit Conducted in United States of America to Evaluate Meat Inspection Systems Governing the Production of Meat and Meat Products Intended for Export to Canada - August 1 to 10, 2023 and October 17 to 26, 2023
- 2019 – Evaluating the food safety system governing the production of meat and poultry products intended for export to Canada
- 2018 – Canadian Audit of the United States National Shellfish Sanitation Program
- 2017 – Evaluating the food safety system governing the production of meat and poultry products intended for export to Canada
- 2014 – Evaluating the Food Safety System Governing the Production of Meat and Poultry Products Intended for Export to Canada
Ukraine
Uruguay
- 2018 – Final Report of the Maintenance Evaluation of Bovine and Ovine Meat Inspection System of Uruguay
Archive
- Previously published reports on audits and assessments are available in archives maintained by Library and Archives Canada.