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The Caribbean Basin region continues to experience growth, driven primarily by the steady rise in tourism, which in turn impacts consumer demand.

On March 12, 2025, the Government of Egypt (GoE) filed a ninth addendum to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) – G/TBT/N/EGY/313/Add.9 – informing interested parties that it was excluding imports of milk and dairy products from the scope of its Halal certification requirements.

On September 19, 2024, the Government of Egypt filed an eighth addendum to the World Trade Organization's (WTO’s) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) -- G/TBT/N/EGY/313/Add.8 -- informing interested parties that the time period during which imported milk and dairy products that are not accompanied by a Halal certificate will be permitted to enter Egypt has been extended until December 31, 2025.

The exporter guide provides an economic and market overview, as well as demographic trends and practical tips for U.S. exporters on how to conduct business in Egypt.

On August 1, 2024, the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality notified the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) of a draft amendment to Egypt’s shelf life for certain food products (see G/TBT/N/EGY/212/Add.8).

This report is an annual update on the food import standards and enforcement mechanisms in Egypt. It includes updates on importer registration procedures, halal certification requirements, and shelf-life validity periods, among other standards and regulations.

This report outlines Egypt’s requirements for import permits and export certificates for agricultural products intended for human and animal consumption.

On June 27, 2024, the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry signed Decree No. 361/2024. The Decree extended the shelf-life validity period for imported frozen beef liver from seven to twelve months and for frozen fish from six to ten months. The decree is valid for six months, as of July 1, 2024, and expires on December 31, 2024.

As tourists flock back to the Caribbean in larger numbers and island economies regain their footing after being challenged by global inflation, competition, and other headwinds, opportunities for U.S. suppliers are slowly emerging. While hurdles remain present on the horizon, U.S. suppliers are finding resilient Caribbean buyers to be excellent partners on the road to commercial success.

Demand for U.S. consumer-oriented products in the Caribbean region reached $1.5 billion in 2022, a 26 percent gain compared to the previous year.

The exporter guide provides an economic and market overview, as well as demographic trends and practical tips for U.S. exporters on how to conduct business in Egypt.

On December 3, 2023, Egypt’s General Organization of Veterinary Services (GOVS) published an official decree (Decision Number 1 2023) in the Egyptian Gazette for registration procedures for companies providing certifications for halal food.