Spain approves new Iberian pork certification protocol to boost traceability

Spain's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) has approved a new Iberian pork certification protocol that will take effect on 1 April 2027. The protocol, developed with autonomous communities and sector bodies such as the Interprofessional of Iberian Pork (ASICI), aims to strengthen legal certainty, traceability and transparency across the entire value chain.

Key changes include a nine‑month transition period for companies and certification bodies, the use of operators' own records to optimise the balance‑of‑masses accounting, unified procedures for controls and seal destruction, and the integration of carcass‑room management into MAPA’s digital Itaca platform. The text also introduces greater flexibility in management deadlines, harmonises responses to commercial incidents, and, for the first time, provides an appeal period for operators whose certification is withdrawn.

The ministry expects the updated system to deliver a more efficient, homogeneous and transparent certification process, facilitating compliance for producers, certifiers and authorities alike.