Non-commercial movement of pet animals

2012/0039(COD)

PURPOSE: to lay down the animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals and the rules for compliance checks on such movement.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) of the European Parliament and of the Council on the non-commercial movement of pet animals and repealing Regulation (EC) No 998/2003.

CONTENT: the Regulation lays down the animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals and the rules for compliance checks on such movement. It applies to the non-commercial movement of pet animals into a Member State from another Member State or from a territory or a third country.

The main provisions of the Regulation are as follows:

Maximum number of pet animals: the maximum number of pet animals (dogs, cats and ferrets) which may accompany the owner or an authorised person during a single non-commercial movement shall not exceed five.

A derogation is possible where the owners can prove that the non-commercial movement is for the purpose of participating in competitions, exhibitions or sporting events or in training for such events or if the pet animals are more than six months old. Member States may undertake standard spot checks to verify that the information submitted is correct.

Conditions applicable: pet animals shall not be moved into a Member State from another Member State unless they fulfil the following conditions: (i) they are marked; (ii) they have received an anti-rabies vaccination; (iii) they comply with any preventive health measures for diseases or infections other than rabies; (iv) they are accompanied by an identification document duly completed and issued by an authorised veterinarian.

Derogation from the anti-rabies vaccination condition for young pet animals:

Member States may authorise the non-commercial movement into their territory from another Member State of pet animals which are: (a) either less than 12 weeks old and have not received an anti- rabies vaccination; or (b) between 12 and 16 weeks old and have received an anti- rabies vaccination, but do not yet meet the validity requirements referred to in the Regulation.

The authorisation may be granted only if: (a) either the owner or the authorised person provides a signed declaration that from birth until the time of the non-commercial movement the pet animals have had no contact with wild animals of species susceptible to rabies; or (b) the pet animals are accompanied by their mother, on whom they still depend, and from the identification document accompanying their mother it can be established that, before their birth, the mother received an anti-rabies vaccination.

Other derogations: the direct non-commercial movement between Member States or parts thereof, of pet animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies, may be permitted upon a joint application by the Member States concerned. The Commission shall, by means of an implementing act, adopt a list of Member States that are authorised to conclude mutual agreements to derogate from the anti-rabies vaccination condition for pet animals.

The Commission shall, by means of an implementing act, adopt a list of territories and third countries which have made an application for entry on the list in which they demonstrate that for pet animals, they apply rules, the content and effect of which are the same as those laid down in the Regulation.

Identification document: the identification document shall be in the format of a passport in accordance with the model to be adopted by the Commission by means of an implementing act. It shall contain the following information:

  • the location of the transponder or the tattoo and either the date of application or the date of reading of the transponder or the tattoo, as well as the alphanumeric code displayed by the transponder or the tattoo;
  • the name, species, breed, sex, colour, date of birth as stated by the owner and any notable or discernable features or characteristics of the pet animal;
  • the name and contact information of the owner;
  • the name, contact information and signature of the authorised veterinarian issuing or completing the identification document;
  • the signature of the owner;
  • details of the anti-rabies vaccination;
  • the date of blood sampling for the rabies antibody titration test;
  • compliance with any preventive health measures for diseases or infections other than rabies;
  • other relevant information regarding the health status of the pet animal.

Safeguard measures: where rabies or a disease or an infection other than rabies occurs or spreads in a Member State, a territory or a third country, and is liable to represent a serious threat to public or animal health, the Commission may, acting on its own initiative or at the request of a Member State, suspend the non-commercial movement or transit of pet animals from all or part of the territory of the Member State or territory or third country concerned.

Information obligations: Member States shall provide the public with clear and easily accessible information concerning the animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals and the rules for compliance checks on such movement laid down in this Regulation. Member States shall establish internet-based pages providing the information, and communicate the internet address of those pages to the Commission.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 28/06/2013.

APPLICATION: from 29/12/2014.

DELEGATED ACTS: the Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in order to ensure the proper application of the Regulation. The power to adopt such acts is conferred on the Commission for a period of five years starting on 28 June 2013. The delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration unless the European Parliament or the Council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period. Should the European Parliament or the Council object to it, the delegated act does not enter into force.