EUPETS TRANSITIONAL REGULATIONS 3 JUL – 1 OCT 2004

IP/04/724

Brussels, 9 June 2004

Travelling with pets: Commission offers summer

holiday solution despite Member State delays

Agreement was reached today on a temporary solution to ensure the smooth

movement of pets throughout the EU this summer. New EU-wide rules

introducing a “pet passport” were agreed last November) in

order to simplify travelling with pets. However, most Member States are not

ready to implement this new system by the agreed deadline of 3 July this

year. In particular, the distribution of the passports to veterinarians is

proving problematic. To avoid the risk of travel being disrupted during the

busy summer season, the European Commission has offered a flexible

solution to ensure that pets will have the necessary documents for travel.

From 3 July 2004, all Member States will have to allow the entry of pets

complying with the new rules. As a transitional measure until 1 October 2004,

the entry of pets complying with existing national rules will also be allowed.

These transitional measures also apply for pets coming from outside the EU.

David Byrne, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, said: “I regret that

most Member States are unable to fulfil their commitment to put the new system in

place by 3 July. However, in light of the current situation, I am happy that we found a

temporary solution to ensure that Europeans will be able to bring their pets along on

their holidays this summer. After all, pet owners should not suffer because national

authorities fail to implement commonly agreed legislation in a timely manner.”

While the new system will come into force on 3 July, today’s decision allows the

existing system to operate in parallel until 1 October, when it will cease. The new

simplified system means that for movements of cats, dogs and ferrets between EU

Member States other than Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom, valid rabies

vaccination will be the only requirement for travel. Pet owners must simply contact

their veterinarian to get their pet vaccinated and the veterinarian to update the

passport with the details of the vaccination. An electronic microchip (transponder) -

to be introduced over the next eight years by the Member States - will allow for easy

identification of the animals, connecting the pet to the passport. During this

transitional period of 8 years, a tattoo will also be allowed as a way to identify the

animal, except for the UK and Ireland which already now require the transponder.

Young pets which cannot be vaccinated yet may be allowed to travel without

vaccination. For the entry of animals into Ireland, Sweden or the United Kingdom,

antibody titration (a test to see if the vaccine has been effective) will need to be

carried out after the vaccination (sample taken at least six months before the

movement as regards UK and Ireland, for Sweden sample taken at least 120 days

after the vaccination).

 

Pets entering the EU from non-EU countries

 

The pet passport is essentially only used for pets travelling between Member States

of the European Union. However, you can also use the pet passport if you are

travelling to or from one of the neighbouring countries where the rabies status

matches that of the EU. This includes: Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco,

Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican City State.

For pets entering the EU from another country, there are two different possibilities:

For non-EU countries free of rabies, or where the disease is under control (see list:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/list_third_en.htm), rabies

vaccination will be the only requirement (except for Ireland, Sweden and the United

Kingdom requiring a test six months after vaccination). Pet owners bringing pets

from these countries can use a simple health certificate (filled in by their veterinarian)

certifying rabies vaccination.

For countries not appearing on the above list, rabies may be endemic among

domestic animals and therefore vaccination and blood testing will be required three months before entering EU Member States other than Ireland, Sweden and the United

Kingdom, where quarantine will be required.

 

 

ANNEX

 

RULES IN FORCE FROM THE 3 JULY TO THE 1 OCTOBER

 

Movements between Member States

 

To a Member State OTHER than the UK, Ireland and Sweden: shall be

allowed entry of:

- Animals in strict compliance with the new Regulation (with a Passport attesting

valid rabies vaccination)

or until the 1 October

- Animals accompanied by the veterinary certificate which used to be required

by national authorities before the 3 July

 

To the UK, Ireland and Sweden: shall be allowed entry of

- Animals strictly in compliance with the new Regulation: with a Passport

attesting a valid vaccination and a test, tick and echinococcus treatments

(national rules apply for the type of identification and the timing of the treatments

before the movement and the test for rabies: sample taken at least 6 months

before the movement for UK and Ireland, sample taken 120 days after the

vaccination for Sweden).

or until the 1 October

- Animals accompanied with the certificate (rabies vaccination and test, tick and

echinicoccus treatment) which used to be required under the national rules in

force before the 3 July).

 

Movements from non-EU third countries

 

A. Rules applying to movements between Member States also apply to

movements from Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San

Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican City State

B. From the following third countries with a favourable situation regarding

rabies:

Ascension Island, Antigua and Barbuda, Netherlands Antilles, Australia, Aruba,

Barbados, Bahrain, Bermuda, Canada, Croatia, Fiji, Falkland Islands, French

Polynesia, Jamaica, Japan, Cayman Islands, Mayotte, Montserrat, Mauritius,

New Caledonia, New Zealand, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Pierre

et Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, United States of

America, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna

 

To a Member State OTHER than UK, IRL and Sweden: shall be allowed

entry of

- Animals accompanied by the health certificate of the model established in

Decision 2004/203/EC attesting a valid rabies vaccination. This certificate can

be downloaded at:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/nocomm_third_en.htm

or until the 1 October

- Animals accompanied by the veterinary certificate which used to be required

under national rules in force before the 3 July

 

To the UK, Ireland and Sweden: shall be allowed entry of

- Animals accompanied by the health certificate of the model established in

Decision 2004/203/EC attesting a valid rabies vaccination and a test, tick and

echinococcus treatments (national rules apply for the type of identification and

the timing of the treatments before the movement and the test for rabies:

sample taken at least 6 months before the movement for UK and Ireland,

sample taken 120 days after the vaccination for Sweden). This certificate can be

downloaded at:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/nocomm_third_en.htm

or until the 1 October

- Animals accompanied by the veterinary certificate (rabies vaccination and test,

tick and echinicoccus treatment) which used to be required under the national

rules in force before the 3 July.

 

C. From other third countries not listed above

 

To a Member State OTHER than UK, IRL and Sweden: shall be allowed

entry of

- Animals accompanied by the health certificate of the model established in

Decision 2004/203/EC attesting a valid rabies vaccination and a test 3 months

before the movement. This certificate can be downloaded at:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/nocomm_third_en.htm

Or until the 1 October

- Animals accompanied by the veterinary certificate which used to be required

under national rules in force before the 3 July.

 

Please note that the UK, Ireland and Sweden do not allow the direct entry of

animals coming from these third countries and animals will be put in

quarantine

Please note that the list of countries with a favourable situation regarding

rabies may be amended. For the most recent information, please consult this

website:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/list_third_en.htm

EUPETS – 28 June 2004

Notwithstanding the announcement below, the EU has finally stated that the EU Pet Travel Scheme will indeed start on 3 July 2004.  Passports are now available at UK veterinary practices although pets may continue to travel with existing and extant Travel Certificates (UK Pet Re-entry certificate for UK) until their validity expires.

EUPETS – 19 May 2004

EU PET TRAVEL SCHEME - The European Commission (EC) in Brussels has just decided that the implementation date of this Regulation will be put back from 3 July 2004 to 1 October 2004.

For the UK, this will mean that existing national rules on the export of pets to the Community and the import of pets into the UK (the Pet Travel Scheme) will remain in place until 30 September.

UK quarantine rules will continue to apply for those animals which cannot enter the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme because they do not fully comply with scheme rules or are not eligible.

DEFRA will now be issuing the new EU Pet Passport to vets in early August.

THE NEW EUROPEAN UNION PET TRAVEL SCHEME (EUPETS) – 11 MAY 2004

July 3rd, the date on which the new EUPETS starts will soon be upon us and try as we may to inform the public of the changes in store, there will inevitably be many pet owners living around the world, (and in particular in countries that are not rabies free), for whom this may come as a great shock.  If they know nothing of the new scheme until they try to book their pets onto a flight to Europe, their travel plans will be thrown into chaos and there will be little, if any, time to make the necessary arrangements to comply with it.  Compliance with the new scheme will be also be particularly important to members living in non-approved countries who are planning to return to the UK, without quarantine, via a sojourn in Europe.

We have therefore drawn up a summary of the requirements for the new scheme and would ask members living outside the EU to make photocopies where possible, and distribute these to veterinary practices and ex-pat communities, wherever it is likely to be helpful.  The single sheet is at link in following article below.

WHICH COUNTRIES TO BE INCLUDED IN EUPETS?

The following are countries, approved at 13 May 2004, from which the new scheme will require microchipping or tattooing and rabies vaccination only, are:

EUROPEAN UNION:  Austria, Belgium,  Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,  Greece, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Vatican PLUS Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Republic of Cyprus (not Turkish republic of Cyprus), and Malta.

THIRD  (NON_EU) COUNTRIES – LOW RISK : Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Ascension Island, Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Croatia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Fiji, French Guyana,  French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenadines, Guadaloupe, Hawaii, Iceland, Jamaica, Japan,  Liechtenstein, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Monaco, Monserrat, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norway, Reunion, Singapore, St Helena, St Kitts & Nevis, St Pierre Miquelon, St Vincent, San Marino, USA (mainland), Switzerland, Vanuatu, Vatican, Wallis & Futuna.

All other third countries will be regarded as HIGH RISK. Pets arriving from these countries, in addition to identification and rabies vaccination, will require an anti-body blood test on a sample drawn at least 30 days after the vaccination and 3 months before the date of travel.

After 3 July pet owners will  be expected to have a proper passport for their pets - photographs optional!  These will be available to veterinary practices soon.  The Council Decision (2003/803/EC) can be seen on this website:

http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2003/l_312/l_31220031127en00010013.pdf

Unfortunately, DEFRA is still in the process of producing the UK version of this passport and they are first expected to be issued to veterinary practices in June, this year. While there is likely to be a transitional period during which the existing Travel Certificates will be acceptable, it is obviously sensible to obtain these new EU Passports in the near future. In addition to the dates of rabies vaccinations, and the dates on which the successful blood samples were drawn, the UK version will also have space to include any other inoculation details.  This should enable it to act also as an Export Health Certificate for any country requiring additional treatments/vaccinations. It will also contain details of Parasite Treatment and will, ultimately replace the two documents presently required for entry to UK. 

While the EU Scheme will require, in addition to identification and vaccination v rabies,  bloodtesting for rabies antibodies followed by a three month wait for pets arriving from HIGH RISK countries, we remind members that the UK and Ireland will, for at least a  five year transitional period, still require the vaccination and a successful bloodtest result, followed by a six month wait, during which the pet should not leave an approved country, before entry to UK (without quarantine) may take place.  The UK will also continue the requirement for parasite treatment just prior to entry. Sweden will also continue to enforce their own regulations.

After 3 July 2004, pets arriving in the EU (including UK) from approved LOW RISK 'third' country will require an official EU Health Certificate  (which we will put on the members page in due course) confirming rabies vaccination and successful blood testing.

 

Blood tests must be carried out by an EU-approved laboratory. A lsit of these may be found at:

http://forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/sanco/vets/information

 

 

SUMMARY OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE EU PET TRAVEL SCHEME

 

Applicable to:

ANIMALS

Part A. Cats and dogs

Part B. Ferrets

Part C. Invertebrates (except bees and crustaceans), ornamental tropical fish, amphibia, reptiles. Birds: all species (except poultry covered by Council directives.  Mammals: rodents and domestic rabbits.

COUNTRIES

Part A: Sweden, Ireland, United Kingdom

Part B 1: Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Spain (including the continental territory, Balearic and Canary islands and excluding Ceuta and Mellila), France (including French Guiana, Guadaloupe, Martinique and Reunion), Gibraltar, Portugal (including the continental territory, Azores and Madeira plus Member States other than those listed in Part A or above.

Part B 2: Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, The Vatican.

Part C: LOW RISK – See list in article above.

ROW – HIGH RISK: Rest of the world – essentially countries that are not rabies-free.

 

Note 1.  The UK will insist that the vaccination and blood test are conducted by a vet in a country presently approved under the UK PETS Scheme. Therefore pets from Part D countries will have to qualify for entry to Europe (or an approved country) and THEN start the qualification for UK on arrival by re-vaccinating and blood testing + 6 months. Failing that, pets will have to be quarantined for 6 months. Pets must also be parasite treated within 24 and 48 hours of travel into UK.

 

ANIMALS             FROM                   TO                        REQUIREMENT

Identification by microchip

Vaccinated v. rabies

Blood test   and 6 month wait

+ EU Pet passport or

Part C pets + Health Certificate
 

 

Cats

 

 

 

 

Dogs

 

 

 

 

Ferrets
 

Part A

Part B1

Part B2

Part C

 
 

 

 

UK
 
 

 


Part A

Part B1
 

ROW
 

 

 

 

Part C

animals
 

 

Part B1

 
 

Part A

Part B1

 
 

 

Part C
 

Part B1

Part B2

Part C
 

 

Part B1

 
 

 

ROW
 

Part B1

Part B2

Part C
 

ROW
 
c

 

 

Quarantine. Note 1.
 

Identity by chip or tattoo

Vaccination v. rabies

+ EU Pet passport or

Part C pets + Health Certificate
 

Part B1

 
 

Identity by chip or tattoo

Vaccination v. rabies + 30 days then blood test + 3 month wait

+ Health Certificate
 

No requirements w.r.t. rabies

Protection v. other diseases to be decided.  

 

Conditions to be established
 

No statement in regulations!
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


AUGUST 2003:     EU PET TRAVEL SCHEME AGREED. COMES INTO FORCE ON 3 JULY 2004.

 

The European Union proposal for a Pet Travel Scheme has finally passed all its legal and political hurdles, and has now been approved by the Council and Parliament. Having now been published in the "Official Journal of the European Union", it becomes EU law from July 3rd, 2004.

            Basic details of the new EU Pet Travel Scheme are now on our website and we will supply full details and reminders in our newsletters, nearer to the time of implementation.  In the meantime, the important thing for everyone to understand is that from the implementation date, people will not be able to travel freely with their pets to any country in the EU, unless they have fully complied with all the requirements of the new scheme, and this includes the post blood-test wait. This is likely to come as something of a shock to many pet owners who, for many years, will have been travelling the world with their pets without hindrance (apart from the UK, Ireland and parts of Scandinavia and certain other rabies-free islands).  Members can therefore do fellow pet-owning travellers a great favour, by promulgating the warning to "be prepared" for the new scheme, to as many people as possible. We have attached a helpful flyer at the end if this newsletter and would ask members to copy and distribute it as far and wide as possible.  Some suggestions:  Veterinary surgeries, pet clubs, friends with pets, local newspapers, ex-pat social clubs, etc.  There are many pet owners who will need to know about this, but who otherwise might not hear.

            Our advice to all pet owners who have not yet done so, is to have their pet(s) blood tested in the next few months, post micro-chipping and vaccination, of course.

            The legislation may be found here.   Our outline guide to the scheme may be found here.

 

October 2002:    TAKING PETS TO FRANCE FROM COUNTRIES OTHER THAN EU MEMBER STATES

 

While it is expected that the European Union will introduce their Pet Travel Scheme in the autumn of 2003 , France has somewhat unexpectedly jumped the gun and introduced very similar legislation effective from 2 November 2002. This requires that cats and dogs (all carnivorous domestic animals) be treated as follows:

a. Those from IOE designated rabies-free countries must be identified by tattoo or microchip and vaccinated against rabies. It must have resided in a rabies-free country for 6 months prior to entry, and it must have been vaccinated against:

          Dogs – canine distemper, canine parvovirus, canine leptospirosis, and infectious canine hepatitis.

          Cats – infectious feline leucopenia.

b. Those from countries not rabies-free as designated by IOE must additionally be blood tested by an official laboratory no less than 30 days from the vaccination and 3 months before travelling to France.

An official French language 'Certificate Sanitaire' must be completed by your vet.

 

Members can find this 'Certificate Sanitaire' on the Member's page.

 

The Legislation may be seen at:

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnTexteDeJorf?numjo=AGRG0201612A

 

   JULY 2002:          EU Commissioner's Press release on EU PET Scheme

 

JULY 2002:            QUAFF comment on proposed EU PET Scheme

 

THE PROPOSED EU PETS SCHEME

 

JUNE 2002

 

            The European Union is currently finalising its proposal to introduce a PET TRAVEL SCHEME within the Union.  It seems that there is general agreement amongst the Member States and it seems that this new legislation may become law in the Autumn of 2003.

 

            The major impact of this EU PETS Scheme is that people from all over the world who are now able to import a pet to Europe  (except to Norway, Sweden, UK and the Republic of Ireland) with no great difficulty and at short notice, will no longer be able to do so. Most will have to go through a seven month preparation period. This proposal, if not clearly advertised worldwide and well in advance, will cause  chaos with the international movement of companion animals travelling to Europe from all corners of the world that heretofore, has been freely enjoyed. Therefore this message needs promulgating as far and wide as possible.

 

            Given the possibility that the EU scheme may be introduced within the next 18 months, anyone living outside the qualified PETS countries may wish to consider getting their pets qualified now, as a precaution.

 

            In essence, the EU proposal refers to the 'Member States' and establishes three lists of countries:

 

PART A:  Sweden, Ireland and UK

 

PART B Section 1:  Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, The Vatican, Isle of Man, Channel Islands.

 

PART B Section 2:  No countries listed yet.

 

            Cats and dogs moving between Member States and PART B countries must be identified by either tattoo or microchip (but UK will continue to demand chipping only), and be vaccinated against rabies. Otherwise they shall not be subject to any animal-health requirement (but UK may continue to demand parasite treatment). Where the destination is a country in PART A, those countries may demand additionally that the animals are blood tested six months prior to movement and more than 30 days after the preceding vaccination.

 

            Cats and dogs moving from third countries not listed in PART B Section 1 must be chipped or tattooed, vaccinated at least 30 days later and then blood tested more than six months prior to movement. Where they are introduced into the Community in a member State other than those listed in  PART A, they may only be introduced to LIST A if they have been blood sampled by a veterinarian authorised by the competent authority of a Member State***.

 

We believe that third countries not yet listed will be divided into High Risk and Low Risk; that Low Risk countries will be treated as Part B Section 1 and High Risk as Part B Section 2.

We hope that the Rabies-Free islands, already approved by UK, and North America will be placed on the Part B Section 1 list

 

***Herein lies the potential disaster!  Pets from countries not included in PART B Section 1 and in the High Risk list are likely to have to undergo the 7 month preparation to get into Europe and then repeat the cycle to move on to UK or face quarantine in UK if travelling directly.  Obviously this is illogical and we hope that common sense and public pressure, if necessary, will prevail on those in charge of drafting the legislation.

 

            OUR ADVICE TO PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WHO MAY WISH TO MOVE WITH PETS TO EUROPE FROM MID 2003 IS TO CONSIDER TREATING THEIR PETS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EU PROTOCOL

 

            This protocol will involve, for ALL pets from Third countries,  microchipping the pet, then re-vaccinating against rabies. For people from HIGH RISK countries, after a delay of at least 30 days, the pet must then be blood tested, using an approved laboratory (list to be decided, but those approved by UK for UK PETS will almost certainly be included). Pets wishing to enter UK from ALL countries, including EU Member States, must be blood tested six months prior to travel.

 

All documents and the progress of this proposal may be seen at: http://europa.eu.int/prelex/detail_dossier_real.cfm?CL=en&DosId=158659