Electronic Export Application and Certification Charge; Flexibility in the Requirements for Export Inspection Marks, Devices, and Certificates; Egg Products Export Certification

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the meat and poultry inspection regulations to provide for an electronic export application and certification system. The electronic export application and certification system will be a component of the Agency's Public Health Information System (PHIS). The PHIS Export Component will be available as an alternative to the paper-based export application and certification process. FSIS will charge an application fee to exporters that use the PHIS Export Component. FSIS is establishing a formula for calculating the fee. On an annual basis, the Agency will use the formula to update the fee and publish the new fee in the Federal Register. The updated fee will apply at the start of each calendar year. FSIS is also amending the meat and poultry export regulations to provide flexibility in the requirements for official export inspection marks, devices, and certificates. In addition, FSIS is amending the egg product export regulations to parallel the meat and poultry product export regulations.