1. Controlled and Prohibited Goods
Prohibited goods in Qatar related to animal is Pure-bred breeding animals (HS Code: 01031000).
Source: Prohibited Goods in Qatar
(a) Import license is required for animals and animal products importation. Import licenses are issued only to Qatari nationals, or to the Qatari partner in a limited liability partnership and must be registered with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This regulation also applies to wholly foreign owned entities operating in Qatar.
(b) Health certificate is required for meats, including beef and poultry products and other processed foods. The health certificate shall attest that the food products are safe and fit for human consumption, and the food product(s) was handled at an establishment that has been subjected to inspections by the competent authority and/or officially recognized body and implements a food safety management system based on HACCP principles or an equivalent system.
(c) Halal slaughter certificate is required for the importation of animals and animal products issued by an approved Islamic center in the exporter country.
(d) Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) of Qatar has published a notification where certain products need additional certificate. To export GMO, genetically modified ingredients, organic foods, and food treated with radiation, a Certificate of Conformity (CoA) needs from a authorized company of Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) of Qatar. The notification can be found in the link: Precautionary Requirements. The requirements are updated time to time. To find the updated notification, visit the website: Ministry of Public Heath Qatar.
(e) Importer based in Qatar needs to register his food facility for import in the electronic system developed by Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). The system name is “Watheq”. The online system for registration can be found in the link: Request for registration of food facility (imported and / or exported). Ministry of Public Health of Qatar published guideline related to food facility registration in its website. The guideline can be found in the link: Watheq Users Guidebook. To get recent update, visit the website: Ministry of Public Heath Qatar
(f) A food importer also needs to register his imported products through food importer registration system. The detail guideline how a food importer can register his product can be found in the link: General Guideline for Registration of Food. To get more information, visit the website: Ministry of Public Heath Qatar.
(a) Health Certificate
Health certificate is required for animals and animal products. The format for health certificate is published in Food Import Guideline developed by Ministry of Public Health of Qatar.
(b) Halal Slaughter Certificate
Halal slaughter certificate is required in case of animals and animal products importation according to the Qatar Import Requirements and Documentation.
(c) Original Country of Origin Certificate
Original country of origin certificate is required according to guideline for food import published by Qatar Customs.
(d) Additional Certificate
To export GMO, genetically modified ingredients, organic foods, and food treated with radiation, a Certificate of Conformity (CoA) needs from an authorized company of Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) of Qatar. The notification can be found in the link: Precautionary Requirements. The requirements are updated time to time. To find the updated notification, visit the website: Ministry of Public Heath Qatar.
4. Food Regulation and Standards:
(a) Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) of Pesticides:
Maximum Residue Levels of pesticides in food shall be within the limit set by GSO 382:2021 - Maximum Limits Of Pesticide Residues In Agricultural And Food Products.
(b) Contaminants
The level of contaminants and toxin in food shall not exceed the limit set by GSO 193:2021 -Contaminants and Toxins in Food And Feed.
(c) Food Additives:
Additives used in animal products shall not exceed the limits mentioned in the GSO 2500:2022 - Additives Permitted For Use In Food Stuffs. The technical regulation is supplemented by GSO 2500:2022/Amd1:2023 - Additives Permitted For Use In Food Stuffs.
(d) Microorganisms:
Maximum level of microorganism in food must be within the limit set by “GSO 1016:2015 - Microbiological Criteria for Foodstuffs”.
(e) Labelling requirements:
Information regarding stores for frozen and chilled foodstuff on product’s level must comply with the GSO 970:1997 Stores For Frozen And Chilled Foodstuff -Part 3 : Labeling And Marking.
The prepackaged food must maintain the labelling requirements set by GSO 9:2022 - Labelling of Pre-packaged Food Stuffs.
GSO 2406:2014 Guidelines on Labeling Of Food Products lays down the guideline for food labeling.
Nutritional information provided in product’s label must comply with the GSO 2233:2021 - Requirements of Nutritional Labeling.
Any nutrition and health claim on product’s level must comply with the GSO 2333:2022 - Requirements for Health and Nutrition Claims on Food Products.
(f) Packaging and Marking Requirements:
All packages used for food packaging should be in accordance with the following standards:
GSO 839:2021 - Food Packages - Part 1: General Requirements.
GSO 1863:2021 - Food packages - Part 2: Plastic package – General requirements.
GSO 2545:2021 - Recycled Plastic Materials and Articles Intended to Come into Contact with Food.
GSO 2231:2012 - General Requirements for the Materials Intended to Come into Contact with Food.
(g) Food standards:
GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) has developed standard and technical regulation for animal products. The technical regulations are mandatory to follow where standards are optional. For finding the technical regulations and standards, exporters are advised to consult with the website: GCC Standardization Organization. Some of the standards or technical regulations related to animal products are below:
GSO 996:2021 - Livestock Meat Chilled and Frozen
GSO 2303:2013 - Frozen Liver
GSO 2203:2012 - Packaged Meat Containing Vegetables and Sauce
GSO 2204:2012 - Prepared Meat - Heat Treated Pressed Meats
GSO 2206:2012 - Prepared Meats - Meat Treated with Salt Solution and Heat Treated
GSO 2036:2010 - Meat Products – Pastrami
GSO 1924:2009 - Dried Meat
GSO 1921:2009 - Prepared Meats: Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented Sausage ICS
GSO 1999:2009 - Canned Crab Meat
GSO 1870:2008 - Chilled and Fromzen Ostrich Meat
GSO 1860:2008 - Processed Edible Animal Tallaw
GSO 1390:2002 - Chilled and Frozen Poultry Edible Giblets
GSO 504:1994 - Canned Corned Beef
GSO 2300:2022 - Chilled and Frozen Marinated Meat
GSO CODEX STAN 98:2021 - Cooked Cured Chopped Meat
GSO 948:2021 - Prepared Meat: Burger Meat
GSO 2541:2021 - Mechanically Deboned Poultry Meat Intended for Further Processing
GSO 1816:2007 - Ground Meat
GSO 1329:2002 - Processed Meat: Chilled or Frozen Meat Kofta
GSO 835:1997 - Organs and Viscera Of Mutton, Goat, Cattle, Camel And Buffalo (Chilled and Frozen)
GSO 985:2023 - Sterilized Milk
GSO 1347:2023 - Ultra-High Temperature Treated (UHT) Milk and (UHT) Flavoured Milk
GSO 992:2023 - Yoghurt
GSO 1326:2010/Amd 1:2021 - Frozen Yoghurt
GSO 474:2010 - Flavoured Yoghurt
GSO 2519:2023 - Fermented Milk Products Heat Treated After Fermentation
GSO 2332:2021 - Cream Analouge
GSO 2094:2021 - Emmental Cheese
GSO 2296:2021 - Evaporated Milk
GSO 984:1998/Amd 1:2021 - Pasteurized Milk
GSO CODEX STAN 207:2021 - Milk Powders and Cream Powder
GSO 832:2021 - Standard of Cream Cheese
GSO 2033:2021 - Laban, Flavoured Laban, And Laban Drink
GSO 651:2021 - Standard for Cream And Prepared Creams
GSO 2129:2011/Amd 1:2016 - Blend of Skimmed Milk And Vegetable Fat In Powdered Form
GSO 1408:2002/Amd 2:2016 - Imitation White Cheese with Vegetable Oils
GSO 2128:2011/Amd 1:2016 - Blend of Sweetened Condensed Skimmed Milk and Vegetable Fat
GSO 1983:2009 - Goat Milk
GSO CODEX STAN 243:2021 - Fermented Milks
GSO 174:2021/Amd 1:2022 - Raw Milk
GSO 1992:2023 – Butter
GSO 1327:2002/Amd 1:2022 - Processed Meat: Minced Chicken Meat
GSO 322:2016 - Chilled Chicken
GSO 1002:2014/Amd 1:2015 - Chicken Eggs
GSO 1389:2002 - Chilled and Frozen Domesticated Birds and Rabbits
GSO 1327:2002 - Processed Meat: Minced Chicken Meat