Required Report - public distribution

**Date:** 9/29/2006

**GAIN Report Number:** ES6008

ES6008

**El Salvador**

**Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards**

**Export Certificate**

**2006**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Stephen Huete

AgSanSalvador

**Prepared by:**

Miguel Herrera

**Report Highlights:**

This report contains updated Salvadoran requirements for export
certificates needed to import food and beverage products into the local
market. Following these requirements will avoid unnecessary trade delays
for U.S. exporters seeking to access this market.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Annual Report

San Salvador \[ES1\]

\[ES\]

Table of Contents

[Section I. Export Certificates Required and Products Covered
3](#section-i.-export-certificates-required-and-products-covered-section-ii.-purpose-of-specific-export-certificate-s-and-section-iii.-specific-attestations-required-on-export-certificate-s.)

[Section II. Purpose of Specific Export Certificate (s)
3](#section-i.-export-certificates-required-and-products-covered-section-ii.-purpose-of-specific-export-certificate-s-and-section-iii.-specific-attestations-required-on-export-certificate-s.)

[Section III. Specific Attestations Required on Export Certificate (s)
3](#section-i.-export-certificates-required-and-products-covered-section-ii.-purpose-of-specific-export-certificate-s-and-section-iii.-specific-attestations-required-on-export-certificate-s.)

[Section IV. Government Certificate's Legal Entry Requirements
6](#section-iv.-government-certificates-legal-entry-requirements.)

[Section V. Other Certification/Accreditation Requirements
7](#__RefHeading___Toc145734326)

[Appendix I. Outline of the Content of Each Certificate and U.S.
Government Agency Required to Sign It
9](#appendix-i.-outline-of-the-content-of-each-certificate-and-u.s.-government-agency-required-to-sign-it.)

# Section I. Export Certificates Required and Products Covered, Section II. Purpose of Specific Export Certificate (s) and Section III. Specific Attestations Required on Export Certificate (s).

## 

The Ministry of Agriculture's (MAG) Animal & Plant Health Inspection
Division (DGSVA) awards import permits for animal and plant products. In
addition, all imported processed products must be registered at the
Ministry of Health's (MPHSA) Environment Safety Division (DSA).

In general, most products are subject to lab tests when undergoing
routine controls and when the product is registered. The GOES requires
that importers be registered with the MPHSA. Importers must also
register each product to be imported with the MPHSA to ensure the
product is fit for human consumption. A product that is registered
undergoes physical, chemical, microbiological and other related tests to
determine that it meets minimum health and sanitary standards. Product
registration usually takes two to three weeks. Registration of a
product, once granted, is valid for five years. The MPHSA is working on
a project to have import permit formats online and linked to Customs to
expedite food import procedure. MAG is also developing an online import
permit system.

Certificates of Free Sale are required for those imported products not
registered with the MPHSA. A certificate of free sale, ideally, is a
certificate from an authorized public health agency that stated that the
product to be imported meets all health and sanitary requirements of
that agency and it is freely sold and consumed in the country of origin.
The certificate can include more than one product and is valid for one
year. The certificate must be in Spanish or be accompanied by a copy of
an official translation that can be provided by the importer. Radiation
Certificates are required for products that have been irradiated.

Food groups such as baby food, diet foods, and health foods undergo the
same required regulations as the rest. In the case of meat zoosanitary
regulations are required. These regulations are enforced by DGSVA
through the Law for Sanitary Inspection of Meat (Executive Decree \# 39,
07/13/71). Meat and meat products can be imported from any country whose
meat inspection system is equivalent to and as efficient as the one
established and maintained in El Salvador. Under the CAFTA-DR agreement
El Salvador recognized the U.S. meat inspection system as equivalent.
Each shipment that contains meat and meat products from a foreign
country must include an official certificate of meat inspection from the
country of origin in Spanish. In addition, to obtain the import permit,
meat-processing plants must be inspected and certified by a DGSVA
inspector and importer must present a lab analysis for pesticide residue
and heavy metals. In addition, due to recent BSE outbreak in the U.S.,
DGSVA is requiring that the Export Certificate contain the following
additional remarks: "Boneless meat from cattle 30 month or younger, that
have had all Specified Risk Materials (SRM's) removed and not
mechanically deboned". Dairy products also must contain a
microbiological lab analysis. There are no special packaging or
container size requirements in El Salvador.

In the past, while all of the above requirements were official
government policy, few were actually enforced. Most products were not
registered. Importers had been able to import the majority of all
processed products with a notarized letter from the manufacturer stating
the product is fit for human consumption. Recently, the MPHSA has been
enforcing the product registration requirement and does not allow any
imported food product into the country without having fulfilled this
requirement. The cost for product registration at the MPHSA is \$ 35.00.
In addition, microbiological analysis must be conducted for every food
product that needs to be registered. The cost for this analysis ranges
from \$50 to \$100 per product.

According to the Health Authorities in El Salvador, the following
information is required for an exporter to register a product:

-   An application must be filed at the DSA of the MPHSA (Departamento
    de Sanidad Ambiental, Ministerio de Salud Publica y Asistencia
    Social), which shall include the following information:

    1.  Petitioner's name and address.

    2.  Description of the product.

    3.  Name, address and telephone number of the establishment or
        factory where the product is manufactured.

    4.  Use that the product will have.

    5.  Name, address and telephone of the supplier in El Salvador.

-   This application must be filed with the following documents:

1.  Power of attorney granted in favor of the Salvadoran attorneys or
    the company representative in the country, duly notarized at the
    nearest Consulate of El Salvador in the U.S. or by Apostille.

2.  The product Registration Certificate of the exporting country duly
    notarized at the nearest consulate of El Salvador or by Apostille.

3.  Regarding the product samples, the Environmental Safety Division
    requires 3 samples of the solid product weighing 200 grams each.

4.  For liquid products, the Ministry of Health requires 3 samples of
    the product of 200 milliliters each.

5.  A Certificate of Free Sale of the product, issued by the Health
    Authorities of the country of origin, duly notarized at the nearest
    Salvadoran Consulate or by Apostille. It must contain the product's
    registration number and the manufacturing state of country.

6.  Functioning license of the local warehouse where the product will be
    stored, usually the local distributor obtains this license.

7.  Two original labels of the product to verify if they conform to the
    requirements established by the National Council for Science and
    Technology (CONACYT) for the Obligatory Salvadoran Norm (NSO):
    General Norm for labeling of pre-packaged food products R-UAC
    67.01.02:02.

8.  Ingredient list in decreasing order according to product
    formulation. Only quantify flavoring, colorants, emulsifiers,
    preservants, sweetener, and any other contained in the product
    according to national or international norms. All other ingredients
    must be described in a qualitative manner.

    A representative or local distributor generally does the product
    registration

    procedure.

For additional information on food import regulations please refer to El
Salvador's

Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards report (ES6005)
at [www.fas.usda.gov](http://www.fas.usda.gov/) under Attaché Reports.

The following table contains a list of official export certificates
required for imported products.

+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| **Product   | **Title of  | *            | **Purpose** | **R       |
| (s)**       | Ce          | *Attestation |             | equesting |
|             | rtificate** | Required on  |             | M         |
|             |             | C            |             | inistry** |
|             |             | ertificate** |             |           |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| Dairy       | Health and  | None         | Health      | Ag        |
|             | Origin      |              | Certificate | riculture |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| Red Meat    | Veterinary  | Veterinary   | Health      | Ag        |
| (Beef)      | Health and  | Health       | Certificate | riculture |
|             | Origin      | Certificate  |             |           |
|             |             | must         |             |           |
|             |             | include:     |             |           |
|             |             | "Product     |             |           |
|             |             | does not     |             |           |
|             |             | contain      |             |           |
|             |             | brain, eyes, |             |           |
|             |             | spinal cord, |             |           |
|             |             | tonsil,      |             |           |
|             |             | thymus,      |             |           |
|             |             | spleen,      |             |           |
|             |             | intestines,  |             |           |
|             |             | spinal       |             |           |
|             |             | glands,      |             |           |
|             |             | trigeminal   |             |           |
|             |             | nerve,       |             |           |
|             |             | skull,       |             |           |
|             |             | spinal       |             |           |
|             |             | column, nor  |             |           |
|             |             | its protein  |             |           |
|             |             | by-products; |             |           |
|             |             | and must     |             |           |
|             |             | have been    |             |           |
|             |             | retrieved    |             |           |
|             |             | from the     |             |           |
|             |             | carcass      |             |           |
|             |             | under        |             |           |
|             |             | appropriate  |             |           |
|             |             | sanitary     |             |           |
|             |             | conditions.  |             |           |
|             |             | Must proceed |             |           |
|             |             | from cattle  |             |           |
|             |             | of 30 month  |             |           |
|             |             | or younger,  |             |           |
|             |             | boneless,    |             |           |
|             |             | with all     |             |           |
|             |             | Specified    |             |           |
|             |             | Risk         |             |           |
|             |             | Materials    |             |           |
|             |             | (SRM's)      |             |           |
|             |             | removed and  |             |           |
|             |             | not          |             |           |
|             |             | mechanically |             |           |
|             |             | deboned".    |             |           |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| Red Meat    | Veterinary  | None         | Health      | Ag        |
| (Pork)      | Health and  |              | Certificate | riculture |
|             | Origin      |              |             |           |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| Poultry     | Health and  | Official     | Health      | Ag        |
|             | Origin      | sanitary     | Certificate | riculture |
|             |             | certificate  |             |           |
|             |             | must be      |             |           |
|             |             | accompanied  |             |           |
|             |             | of original  |             |           |
|             |             | proof        |             |           |
|             |             | specifying   |             |           |
|             |             | the          |             |           |
|             |             | following:   |             |           |
|             |             | "Birds and   |             |           |
|             |             | poultry      |             |           |
|             |             | facilities   |             |           |
|             |             | are free of  |             |           |
|             |             | New Castle,  |             |           |
|             |             | Avian        |             |           |
|             |             | Influenza,   |             |           |
|             |             | Laryn        |             |           |
|             |             | gotraqueitis |             |           |
|             |             | and          |             |           |
|             |             | Puloros      |             |           |
|             |             | is/Tifosis." |             |           |
|             |             | An official  |             |           |
|             |             | or private   |             |           |
|             |             | vet          |             |           |
|             |             | specifying   |             |           |
|             |             | clearly the  |             |           |
|             |             | name,        |             |           |
|             |             | address,     |             |           |
|             |             | telephone    |             |           |
|             |             | and          |             |           |
|             |             | professional |             |           |
|             |             | registry     |             |           |
|             |             | number must  |             |           |
|             |             | issue the    |             |           |
|             |             | original     |             |           |
|             |             | proof.       |             |           |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| Seafood     | Health and  | None         | Health      | Ag        |
|             | Origin      |              | Certificate | riculture |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| Grains      | Ph          | "Product has | Health      | Ag        |
|             | ytosanitary | been         | Certificate | riculture |
|             | and Origin  | inspected    |             |           |
|             |             | and is free  |             |           |
|             |             | of pests".   |             |           |
|             |             |              |             |           |
|             |             | For rice:    |             |           |
|             |             | "Product is  |             |           |
|             |             | free of      |             |           |
|             |             | Tilletia     |             |           |
|             |             | Barclayana". |             |           |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| Flours      | Ph          | "Product has | Health      | Ag        |
|             | ytosanitary | been         | Certificate | riculture |
|             | and Origin  | inspected    |             |           |
|             |             | and is free  |             |           |
|             |             | of pests".   |             |           |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| Vegetables  | Origin      | None         | Health      | Ag        |
| (Processed, |             |              | Certificate | riculture |
| Frozen or   | Free Sale   | None         |             |           |
| Preserved)  |             |              | Food Safety | Health    |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| Vegeta      | Ph          | "Product has | Plant       | Ag        |
| bles/Fruits | ytosanitary | been         | Health      | riculture |
| (Fresh),    | and Origin  | inspected    |             |           |
| Flowers and |             | and is free  |             |           |
| Foliage     |             | of pests.    |             |           |
|             |             | Product      |             |           |
|             |             | originates   |             |           |
|             |             | from areas   |             |           |
|             |             | free of      |             |           |
|             |             | Ma           |             |           |
|             |             | conelicoccus |             |           |
|             |             | hirsutus and |             |           |
|             |             | Thrips       |             |           |
|             |             | palmi".      |             |           |
|             |             |              |             |           |
|             |             | For grapes:  |             |           |
|             |             | "Product is  |             |           |
|             |             | free of pink |             |           |
|             |             | mealy bug".  |             |           |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| Ornamental  | Ph          | "Plants have | Plant       | Ag        |
| Plants      | ytosanitary | been         | Health      | riculture |
|             | and Origin  | inspected    |             |           |
|             |             | and are free |             |           |
|             |             | of pests.    |             |           |
|             |             | Plants are   |             |           |
|             |             | free of soil |             |           |
|             |             | residues or  |             |           |
|             |             | are packed   |             |           |
|             |             | using inert  |             |           |
|             |             | substance".  |             |           |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+
| Planting    | Ph          | "Seeds have  | Plan Health | Ag        |
| Seeds       | ytosanitary | received     |             | riculture |
|             | and Origin  | chemical     |             |           |
|             |             | treatment    |             |           |
|             |             | and are duly |             |           |
|             |             | certified."  |             |           |
+-------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-----------+

# Section IV. Government Certificate's Legal Entry Requirements.

-   Does the original certificate need to accompany the product at the
    time of entry?

> Yes. However an authenticated and Salvadoran consulate approved fair
> copy will be accepted.

-   How long is the certificate valid? Can the certificate be applied to
    multiple shipments?

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc145734326 .anchor}

If product is introduced through Acajutla Port the phyto and zoo
sanitary certificates are valid for three months and for 30 days if
introduced through any other official point of entry. Certificate for
grains is valid for 6 months.

-   Will the country accept a Suppliers or Manufacturers Export
    Declaration as proof of compliance?

> No.

-   Will the foreign country accept a U.S. State issued export
    certificate?

> Yes, origin export certificates are accepted from U.S. State official
> institutions.

-   Will the country derogate export certificates? Which certificates?
    How do you apply?

> No.

# Section V. Other Certification/Accreditation Requirements.

# 

  ------------------- -------------------------------------------------------
  **Product**         **Sanitary Requirement**

  Dairy               Milk must proceed from establishments that have no
                      sanitary restrictions. Plant must be approved by DGSVA
                      and country of origin. Plant must base its activities
                      on Codex Norms FAO-OMS and should include a program for
                      microbiological control, physical-chemical, pesticides
                      and heavy metals. Milk must be pasteurized or submitted
                      to a 60 days maturity process indicating that it's apt
                      for human consumption. Upon arrival at port of entry,
                      an approved disinfectant in the country of destination
                      must be applied to packing material. The product must
                      carry a label that should contain at least the
                      following characteristics: a) Product classification,
                      b) Ingredients in decreasing order according to
                      proportion, c) Additives indicating function in the
                      product, d) Expiration date in a visible place, e) Lot
                      identification, as well as production year, month and
                      day which could be in code in a visible place, f)
                      Manufacturers name and address, g) Must declare name of
                      country where product was manufactured, h) Net content
                      in units according to international measuring system,
                      I) Corresponding registration number and j) Vehicles
                      and containers used for transportation must meet all
                      conditions necessary for the optimal maintenance of
                      cold chain; must be washed and disinfected previous to
                      shipment with products authorized by both exporting and
                      importing country, and sealed with a customhouse stamp
                      that can only be removed by DGSVA inspectors.

  Red Meat (Beef)     Must proceed from establishments that have no sanitary
                      restrictions. The slaughter facility must be approved
                      for exports and officially recognized by the importing
                      country, based on Codex Alimentarius FAO-OMS with
                      relation to ante and post mortem. Must be certified by
                      sanitary officials from the exporting country as being
                      safe for human consumption and have official veterinary
                      inspection. Adequate refrigeration and packaging with a
                      seal of inspection and identification of the origin
                      establishment. Must present lab analysis results for
                      pesticide residue, heavy metals and microbiology in
                      accordance with a sampling program. Demonstrate the
                      existence of a surveillance system that allows for
                      identification of the herd where beef proceeds from,
                      using a permanent tracking system that permits locating
                      the mother and herd of origin. Proceed from cattle that
                      have not been born from animals that are affected or
                      supposedly affected by Bovine Spongiform Encelophatitis
                      (BSE), or that have been born after the prohibition of
                      feeding with bone and beef meal. Proceed from cattle
                      that have been born, raised and remained in herds where
                      no BSE case has been confirmed within the last seven
                      years. Cattle will be submitted to an ante mortem
                      inspection. No air or compressed gas guns have been
                      used to sacrifice the cattle. The MAG division from
                      Inspection of Animal Origin Products (IPOA) will
                      inspect the product upon arrival at the destination
                      country.

  Red Meat (Pork)     Animals must have been born, raised and exported in the
                      exporting country. Farms must maintain a Zoosanitary
                      control program under professional vet supervision.
                      Farms must be free of: Aujeszky, Atrophic Rhinitis,
                      Brucellosis, Transmissible Gastroenteritis, Digenesis
                      and Respiratory Syndrome and Triquinelosis. Must
                      proceed from slaughtering facilities that are
                      authorized for exports by the country of origin and
                      based on Codex Alimentarius FAO-OMS. Facility must be
                      previously certified by DGSVA. Must be certified by
                      sanitary officials from the exporting country as being
                      safe for human consumption and have official veterinary
                      inspection. Must be packaged in food grade materials.
                      Package must include product identification, facility
                      where product was processed, authorization number
                      awarded by official sanitary authority, lot number,
                      production and expiration dates. Vehicles and
                      containers used for transportation must meet all
                      conditions necessary for the optimal maintenance of
                      cold chain; must be washed and disinfected previous to
                      shipment with products authorized by both exporting and
                      importing country, and sealed with a customhouse stamp
                      that can only be removed by DGSVA inspectors.

  Poultry             Imports are only allowed from countries or areas free
                      of the following diseases: New Castle, Avian Influenza,
                      Laryngotraqueitis and Pulorosis/Tifosis. Farms must
                      have a zoosanitary control program under professional
                      vet supervision and slaughter facility be free of the
                      following diseases: s. pullorum, s. gallinarum, s.
                      tiphimutium, s. enteritidis, s. gallisepticum and s.
                      Sinoviae pasteurella. The slaughter facility must be
                      inspected and officially approved for exports by the
                      importing and exporting country, based on Codex
                      Alimentarius FAO-OMS with relation to ante and post
                      mortem and sanitation of fresh meat. The birds from
                      where the product proceeds are not subject to sanitary
                      restrictions and have presented negative results to
                      tests for: Newcastle isolation, hemoaglutanation
                      inhibition (hi) and/or inmunodifusion in agar gel for
                      avian influenza, rapid agglutination in plaque and
                      isolation for avian sallmonelosis (s. pullorun and s.
                      gallinarum) and ELISA for infectious avian
                      laryngotraqueitis. Imports must proceed from birds
                      raised in the country of origin. Must be certified by
                      sanitary officials from the exporting country as being
                      safe for human consumption. That have been packaged in
                      new boxes made of carton or plastic, satisfying the
                      disinfection requirements and that after this process
                      were not exposed to contamination. Must exhibit clearly
                      farm of origin identification, lot number, production
                      date, and have an official seal that establishes that
                      containers or transportation vehicles have been washed
                      and disinfected using authorized products by the
                      country of origin. Conditions for maintaining the cold
                      chain must be met and sealed with a customhouse stamp
                      that can only be removed by DGSVA inspectors. IPOA will
                      inspect product upon arrival at the destination
                      country.

  Seafood             Shrimp must proceed from an authorized facility in the
                      country of origin. Facility must carry out its
                      activities based on Codex Alimentarius FAO-OMS norms.
                      Whenever DGSVA considers appropriate, a joint
                      inspection and approval visit with the official
                      sanitary authority in the country of origin will be
                      conducted. Imports are allowed from countries or areas
                      free of the following diseases: White spot, yellow head
                      and TSV. Whenever MAG consider necessary, samples can
                      be taken from each shipment for sanitary analysis,
                      quarantine and toxic residues. Product must include in
                      the package a label that includes at minimum the
                      following characteristics: a) Product designation and
                      classification, b) ingredient names in decreasing order
                      according to proportion, c) Additives indicating
                      function in the product, d) Expiration date in an
                      appropriate and visible place, e) lot identification,
                      manufacturing year/month/day which can be in code in an
                      appropriate and visible place, f) Manufacturer's name
                      or establishment under which the brand is sold, as well
                      as the establishment's address, g) Manufacturing
                      country, h) Net content in units of the international
                      measuring system and I) Corresponding registration
                      number. Conditions for maintaining the cold chain must
                      be met and sealed with a customhouse stamp that can
                      only be removed by DGSVA inspectors. For additional
                      information or assistance with seafood import
                      requirements please contact the U.S. Department of
                      Commerce/Foreign Commercial Service.

  Grains              Quarantine treatment will be applied at origin and
                      respective proof will be required. If during inspection
                      at point of entry live pests are found, a new treatment
                      will be applied.

  Flours              Product will be inspected at point of entry and a
                      quarantine treatment will be applied if during
                      inspection live pests are found.

  Vegetables/Fruits   Product will be inspected at point of entry.
  (Fresh), Flowers    
  and Foliage         

  Ornamental Plants   Product will be inspected at point of entry and a
                      quarantine treatment will be applied if during
                      inspection live pests are found. In some cases the
                      CITES certificate must be presented.

  Planting Seeds      The variety, brand and lot number must be specified.
                      Seed will be sampled at the warehouse before being
                      commercialized. Biotech seeds are prohibited.
  ------------------- -------------------------------------------------------

# Appendix I. Outline of the Content of Each Certificate and U.S. Government Agency Required to Sign It.

Health Certificate for processed products required by Ministry of Health
needs to be signed by FDA. For processed products containing more than 3
percent of meat/poultry and eggs certificate must be signed by FSIS.

Any official institution authorized by exporting country can sign
Certificate of Origin.

Phyto and Zoo Certificates must be signed by a USDA inspector.