Veterinary certificate for animals; application

Live animals and products of animal origin that are to be brought into the EU within the EU or from a third country must meet special animal health requirements. This prevents the introduction of animal diseases into the EU or the spread of animal diseases from one EU country to another EU country.

Business operators must ensure that animals that are to be moved to another Member State are accompanied by a veterinary certificate (TRACES certificate).

Operators must ensure that animals that are to be moved to another Member State are accompanied by a health certificate (also known as a TRACES certificate).

The veterinary certificate is

• for the entry of breeding and farm animals from a third country into Germany (entry) and
• for the export of breeding and farm animals from Germany to third countries (countries outside the European Union) (export)

required.

It provides information about the general state of health of a breeding or production animal.

The veterinary certificate must be checked, sealed and signed by an official veterinarian. Before signing, the official veterinarian must verify, on the basis of documentary checks, identity checks and physical checks, that the kept terrestrial animals covered by the certificate meet the required animal health requirements. If the relevant requirements are met, the veterinary certificate can be created in TRACES NT and issued to the operator.

The requirements for issuing a veterinary certificate vary greatly. You should therefore contact the competent authority as early as possible. They can only issue a veterinary certificate if all the requirements are met.

Most certificates require the animal to be presented.

You must notify the competent authority of the arrival of a consignment of animals in good time before arrival.

The time frame in which certain checks must be carried out by official veterinarians prior to the planned movement varies depending on the animal species.

Very different deadlines and quarantine conditions may apply for compliance with the health requirements to be certified in Germany or the country of origin, depending on the animal species and country of origin. Contact the responsible veterinary office as early as possible.

The fees depend, among other things, on the type of animal and the number of animals. If necessary, enquire with the competent authority.

• Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council on animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health ("Animal Health Law")

  Version dated February 27, 2025

• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to animal health requirements for movements of terrestrial animals and hatching eggs within the Union

  Version dated January 09, 2025

• Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, animal health and welfare rules, plant health and plant protection products

  Version dated January 05, 2025

• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 laying down detailed rules for the application of Regulations (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards models of veterinary certificates, models of official certificates and models of veterinary/official certificates for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain categories of terrestrial animals and their germinal products and for their movements between Member States, as regards the official certification activities related to such certificates and repealing Decision 2010/470/EU

  Version dated September 03, 2024

• § Section 6(1)(8) of the Animal Health Act (TierGesG)
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 of January 30, 2020 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to rules for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals, germinal products and products of animal origin and their subsequent movement and handling

  Version dated February 07, 2023

• TRACES NT - Information from the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute

For the entrance:

• The application for the issue of a veterinary certificate is submitted electronically in the "TRACES NT" database system.
• An "EU login" is required to access TRACES-NT. To do this, the entrepreneur must register once and will be activated by the competent authority.
• The animals are imported into Germany via a border control authorized for the entry of animals.
• All necessary veterinary examination and treatment certificates must be presented.

For export:

• The Contractor is obliged to comply with the laws, regulations, standards and procedural and import regulations applicable in the country of destination.
• This results in the obligation of the contractor to obtain the relevant current requirements of the third country if necessary and to submit them to the certifying officer for review.
• When exporting animals, the animals must be examined by an official veterinarian at the authorities or on site. Compliance with the respective requirements for the third country must be certified.
• Certain third countries only allow exports to their territory from establishments that are already known there through prior registration or approval and have been included in corresponding lists of registered or approved establishments.
• Companies are subject to official listing procedures and must register with the authorities of the third country and/or be officially listed. As a rule, officially confirmed export applications must be submitted for this purpose, which in many cases must also certify compliance with the requirements specified by the third country.
• Once the applications have been checked by the authorities of the third country and any on-site inspections have been successfully completed, the companies are approved and listed for export by the respective third country and can then export.

within 48 hours

• Entry, transit, export and intra-Community movements in accordance with animal health and foodstuffs legislation; application for a permit