PURPOSE : to facilitate the free movement of pet animals.
COMMUNITY MEASURE : Regulation 998/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pets animals and amending Council Directive 92/65/EEC.
CONTENT : this Regulation aims to facilitate the free movement of pet animals while guaranteeing a high level of protection for human and animal health. To that end, it seeks to harmonise animal-health measures and the controls on non-commercial movements of pet animals within the Community and from non-member countries. The French delegation voted against this Regulation.
This Regulation applies to the movement between the Member States or from third countries of the following pet animals (dogs, cats, ferrets, invertebrates (except bees and crustaceans), ornamental tropical fish, amphibia, reptiles, birds: all species (except poultry covered by Council Directive 90/539/EEC and 92/65/EEC; mammals: rodents and domestic animal).
The Regulation stipulates that during an 8-year transitional period starting from the entry into force of this Regulation, dogs, cats and ferrets shall be regarded as identified where they bear:
- either a clearly readable tattoo; or
- an electronic identification system (transponder)
After this period tattooing will be phased out and replaced by an electronic identification system (transponders).
Moreover, when being moved, dogs, cats and ferrets shall be accompanied by a passport issued by a veterinarian authorised by the competent authority certifying valid anti rabies vaccination, or revaccination if applicable, in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturing laboratory, carried out on the animal in question with an inactivated vaccine of at least one antigenic unit per dose (WHO standard).
Member States may authorise the movement of dogs, cats and ferrets which are under 3 months old and unvaccinated, if they are accompanied by a passport and have stayed in the place in which they were born since birth without contact with wild animals likely to have been exposed to the infection or are accompanied by their mothers on whom they are still dependent.
For a transition period of 5 years starting from the entry into force of this Regulation, entry of dogs and cats into the territory of Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom shall be subject to the following requirements:
- they must be identified by an electronic identification system (transponder) unless the member State of destination also recognises tattooing and;
- they must be recognised by a passport issued by a veterinarian authorised by the competent authority certifying a neutralising antibody titration at least equal to 0,5 IU/ml carried out in an approved laboratory on a sample within the periods laid down in national rules in force on the date 3 August 2003.
In addition, Member States shall ensure that animals which are refused authorisation to enter Community territory, from third countries, are housed under official control pending return to their country of origin or any other administrative decision.
Before 1 February 2007 the Commission, after receipt of the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority on the need to maintain the serological test, shall submit to the EuropeanParliament and to the Council a report, based on experience gained and on a risk evaluation, together with appropriate proposals for determining the regime to be applied with effect from 1 January 2008.
ENTRY INTO FORCE : 3 July 2003. It shall apply from 3 July 2004.�