TRACES is the European Commission's online platform for animal and plant health certification required for the importation of animals, animal products, food and feed
of non-animal origin and plants into the European Union, and the intra-EU trade and EU exports of animals and certain animal products. Food of animal origin, placed on the market in compliance with EU food law, does not require TRACES notification, in line with the principle of free movement of goods within the EU. Certain animal by-products and germinal products require TRACES notification. Additional notifications are required for animal products moving from animal health restriction zones or where the Commission has imposed safeguard measures requiring extra traceability and prior notification.
Therefore, while meat and meat products are required to have appropriate labelling and identification marks applied, and be accompanied by appropriate commercial documents for intra-EU trade trade which capture the traceability information and species, they are generally not subject to being recorded on TRACES.
