The United States and the European Union (EU) have not traded live shellfish for nearly eight years. Since 2010, U.S. shellfish imports have not been allowed to enter the EU, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not permitted the import of live, fresh or fresh-frozen molluscan shellfish from the EU since the 1980s.

On March 8, 2018, the FDA published a proposed determination in the Federal Register, stating that the safety controls for shellfish in the EU are equivalent to those in the U.S.  If the determination becomes final, Massachusetts and Washington state will once more be able to send bivalve molluscan shellfish (shellfish) to the EU. Shellfish exporters from Spain and the Netherlands will also be able to sell shellfish in the U.S. market. FDA notes that the Agency will continue to work with the EU on procedures to add more states and European countries.

In a complementary action, the European Commission is completing administrative procedures for its own proposed determination that U.S. safety controls for shellfish are equivalent to those in the EU, a necessary step towards resuming trade.

The FDA will be accepting public comments on the Federal Register notice through May 23, 2018.