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Animals and goods of animal origin; monitoring of trade

  • Brief description

    Monitoring the trade in animals and goods of animal origin is the task of the official veterinarians at the district offices and serves to ensure compliance with animal disease, animal welfare and food law regulations.

  • Description

    With the creation of the single market, the aim was to achieve the freest possible trade in all areas and this has been largely implemented. For trade in animals and goods, this means that appropriate animal health and food safety regulations must be observed in all Member States of the European Union in order to prevent the spread of animal diseases and to ensure human health, particularly when consuming food of animal origin.
    Compliance with animal health, animal welfare and food safety regulations is checked and ensured in national and intra-Community trade and when importing animals and goods of animal origin from so-called third countries (countries that are not members of the European Union (EU)).

    The task and goal is to:

    • to prevent the spread and introduction of animal diseases that pose a risk to animals, but also to humans, such as rabies (dogs, cats) or foot-and-mouth disease (cattle). Animal diseases can be transmitted or introduced by live animals as well as by animal products and products such as meat and meat products, hides, feathers, hunting trophies, blood and blood products or animal feed.
    • ensure that food is safe for human health. In the EU, uniform working and hygiene regulations apply to companies that process or handle food. In the case of meat and meat products, for example, inspections check whether the goods originate from approved EU establishments or are imported from a third country that is permitted to deliver to the EU. In this context, it is also checked whether the prescribed animal health and hygiene conditions are complied with. Particular attention is paid to compliance with transport and storage conditions.
    • in the case of live animals, to check whether transportation takes place under conditions that are appropriate to animal welfare and to combat abuses.

    When importing live animals and goods of animal origin from third countries, checks are carried out by veterinarians at so-called border inspection posts. The EU has a network of these border inspection posts at all important points of entry into its territory by land, air and sea, all of which work according to the same specifications. They are managed by an official veterinarian. Bavaria has a border inspection post at Munich Airport, which is part of the Bavarian Food Safety and Veterinary Control Authority (KBLV).

    The regulations for the movement of animals and goods apply not only to commercial imports, but also to private individuals carrying dogs, food and other goods of animal origin, for example. This is particularly important for imports from third countries.

  • Prerequisites

    You can find out from your veterinary office or the Munich Airport border inspection post which regulations must be observed in detail and for which cases exceptions are possible. Information on this can also be obtained on the Internet from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection as well as the customs service centers.

  • Deadlines

    The legal provisions may change at short notice. It is recommended that you inform yourself about the legal provisions in good time before a planned import/transfer/journey.

  • Required documents

    Veterinary certificates (for live animals)

    Health certificates (for foodstuffs)

  • Costs

    The amount of the fees depends on the individual case.

  • Legal basis

  • Further links


Responsible departments