The European market is both a high volume and highly regulated export area for Turkish food producers. Especially for food products to be sold in countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, France, Austria and Belgium, many documents and quality standards are required both at the production stage and in the distribution chain.
1.Processes Required for Food Sales from Turkey to Europe
If a food producer operating in Turkey wants to sell to Europe, it must complete the following basic steps:
- Food business registration or approval certificate (from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry)
- Production infrastructure in accordance with the Turkish Food Codex
- Preparation of product labeling, ingredient declaration and allergen declaration (in accordance with EU regulations)
- Importer labeling where necessary (the importer's information must be included on the label)
- Translated technical files (Ingredients, nutritional values, etc.) )
2. What is a HACCP Certificate and Why is it Mandatory?
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) means "Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points" in Turkish. It is a hygiene, process safety and risk prevention system in food production.
HACCP certificate is mandatory for the manufacturer company in all kinds of food products to be sent to Europe. Especially in platforms such as Amazon Germany, France and Italy, products are not accepted without this document.
With the HACCP system, the producer determines, controls and documents at which stage microbiological, chemical or physical risk may occur. EU auditors want to see that this system is actively used.
HACCP certificate in Turkey is usually obtained as integrated into the *ISO22000 system.
*https://www.tse.org.tr/ts-en-iso-22000-gida-guvenligi-yonetim-sistemi/
3. Other Documents Requested in Europe and Eligibility Criteria
Not only HACCP, but also the following documents are frequently requested in the European food market:
- ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System Certificate
- GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) Certificate
- Special consumer labels such as Halal, Organic, Vegan (varies according to the country requested)
- Laboratory analysis reports (microbiological, chemical, pesticide residue)
- Product Label Conformity Report (language and content control by country)
- LUCID Registration (packaging notification is mandatory for Germany)
OUR ARTICLE ON LUCID RECORDING:
- GTIN / barcode information for the European Food Traceability System (Traceability)
4. Additional Requirements for Food Distribution and E-Commerce in EU Countries
If the product is to be sold through e-commerce channels such as Amazon, Etsy, Shopify:
- Application and document upload is mandatory for the Amazon Europe food category
- CE Certificate is not required for food; however, conformity such as EN 1186 may be required for packaging material
- EORI and VAT number (tax registration) must be obtained
OUR ARTICLE ON EORI:
5. Required Documents in Turkey and Export Partners Turkey's Process Management
As Export Partners Turkey, we offer end-to-end support for the documents and approvals required for food exports to Europe:
- HACCP Certificate: We carry out your HACCP certificate process from start to finish through our TURKAK accredited solution partners. We undertake the installation, documentation and audit processes of the food safety management system on your behalf.
- ISO 22000 Certificate: Our quality system consultants plan the ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System installation specifically for your company and ensure that you obtain the necessary certificate. The process is completed with both internal training and external audit.
- Laboratory Tests: Thanks to our cooperation with private laboratories approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, we carry out microbiological, physical and chemical tests of your product and prepare analysis reports in accordance with exports.
- Label Compliance Check: Our consultant team, consisting of food engineers and EU food legislation experts, adapts your label designs to EU languages, including German. Ingredient and nutritional declarations are meticulously checked for compliance with legislation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- 1. Is obtaining a HACCP Certificate mandatory for export to Europe?
Yes. The HACCP system is mandatory for companies wishing to export food and food supplements to European Union countries. Under regulation EC 852/2004, the establishment and implementation of a food safety management system is required. This document is frequently requested by European buyers and supervisory authorities.
- 2. What is the difference between HACCP and ISO 22000? Are they both necessary?
HACCP is a system, while ISO 22000 is a broader international standard that covers this system. ISO 22000 builds on HACCP and includes quality management principles. For the European market, HACCP is sufficient as a first step, but ISO 22000 certification provides an advantage in terms of increasing the reliability and institutionalization of the company.
- 3. From whom can I obtain the HACCP certificate in Turkey?
HACCP certification is issued in Turkey by TÜRKAK accredited certification bodies. As Export Partners Turkey, we are at your side with our solution partners in all steps of this process: including pre-analysis, consultancy, application, training and audit coordination.
As a result, Turkish producers who want to export food to Europe can compete not only with price and product quality, but also with document and process management.
As Export Partners Turkey, we are with you every step of this process: You can contact us for HACCP, ISO certificates, label compliance, Amazon file upload and incentive consultancy services.
