EUROPA - Animal Health & Welfare - Live Animals

Regulation 998/2003

strengthens the rules applying to cats, dogs and ferrets entering the EU from third countries, to prevent the risk of rabies.

Pet animals brought into Union territory from a third country other than Andorra, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and The Vatican are subject to documentary and identity checks by the competent authorities at travellers' points of entry.

ATTENTION: When there are more than 5 animals, the requirements and controls are those applicable to commercial movements (see corresponding page in the topics).

The rules applying to movements between Member States also apply to certain European (non EU) countries :

Third countries other than Andorra, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and The Vatican fall within two categories :

Countries with a favourable situation with regard to rabies are listed in Part C of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 998/2003.

From 1 January 2012

Entry into all Member States:

Valid anti-rabies vaccination is the sole requirement as regards rabies (see Annex Ib to Regulation (EC) No 998/2003)

Member States may allow entry of young animals under 3 months old under certain conditions (to be defined by the competent national authorities)

Entry into Finland, Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom:
Dogs must be treated against the tapeworm Echinococcus in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1152/2011 , as follows:

the treatment shall be administered by a veterinarian within a period of not more than 120 hours and not less than 24 hours before the time of scheduled entry into Finland, Ireland, Malta or the United Kingdom;
the treatment shall be certified by the administering veterinarian in the relevant section of the health certificate or the passport on re-entry.

From 1 January 2012

Entry into all Member States:

(a) anti-rabies vaccination; and
(b) rabies anti-body titration test
- (i) carried out on a blood sample taken by an authorised veterinarian at least 30 days after vaccination and three months before movement. The collection of sample must be documented by the authorised veterinarian in the relevant section of the passport or the health certificate.
- (ii) performed in any EU-approved rabies serology laboratory;
- (iii) measuring a level of neutralising antibody to rabies virus in serum equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml and using a method prescribed in the relevant part of the Chapter concerning rabies in the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals of the World Organisation for Animal Health;
- (iv) which has not to be renewed following a satisfactory result provided that the pet animal is revaccinated at regular intervals prescribed by the vaccine producing laboratory.
The three-month period shall not apply to the re-entry of a pet animal whose passport certifies that the test was carried out, with a favourable result, before the animal left the Union.

Entry into Finland, Malta, Ireland and the United Kingdom:

Dogs must be treated against the tapeworm Echinococcus in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1152/2011 , as follows:

the treatment shall be administered by a veterinarian within a period of not more than 120 hours and not less than 24 hours before the time of scheduled entry into Finland, Ireland, Malta or the United Kingdom;
the treatment shall be certified by the administering veterinarian in the relevant section of the health certificate or the passport on re-entry.

Cats, dogs or ferrets re-entering the Union after a journey outside the EU are allowed to be accompanied by a passport certifying compliance with the conditions that apply to entries from the country where they stayed.

Cats, dogs or ferrets entering the Union from Andorra, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and The Vatican are allowed to be accompanied by a model passport equivalent to the one laid down in Annex to Commission Decision 2003/803/EC.

Cats, dogs or ferrets entering the Union from third countries other than Andorra, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and The Vatican shall be accompanied by a health certificate drawn up in accordance with the model set out in Annex I or II to Decision 2011/874/EU

(IMPORTANT: see notes for guidance at the end of the certificate).

The forms in the various linguistic versions may be downloaded here

(See notes for guidance at the end of the certificate).

The health certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue by the official veterinarian until the date of the checks at the travellers' points of entry designated by Member States and for the purpose of further movements within the Union for a total of four months from the date of issue of this certificate or until the date of expiry of the anti-rabies vaccination, whichever date is earlier.

The animal shall be identified by an electronic identification system (transponder) or by a clearly readable tattoo applied before 3 July 2011, of which the alpha-numeric code corresponds to the one documented in the health certificate.