Trading in animals and animal products
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
If you want to import or export animals or products of animal origin (including fish) from or to the UK (excluding Norther Ireland) from 1 January 2021 you must be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Furthermore, importers will also need to be registered on TRACES (an EU Commission system for the electronic completion of documentation required for imports of certain consignments from third countries).
To protect human health, animal health and the environment, EU rules restrict the import of certain goods from third countries – for example, live animals and products of animal origin. Therefore, you should undertake the following:
Further information is available here: Importing animals or animal products
In order to protect the safety and health of EU citizens and preserve the integrity of the internal market, controls are carried out on food entering the EU market to ensure they meet the requirements of EU food law. The controls carried out are dependent on the food type and can vary from a documentary check to an identity or a physical check or any combination of these checks. Some foods are considered to pose a higher risk to public health, animal health or to the environment in terms of diseases, pests or contaminants, and additional requirements are in place for these foods to control those risks. These additional requirements can include prenotification of arrival at the point of entry, specific accompanying documents and full physical checks. In most cases these foods may only enter the EU market through a specific entry point.
EU food legislation splits foods into the following broad categories:
Foods of animal origin are considered ‘high risk’ by the EU as they can transmit serious human and animal diseases. They must enter the EU through a listed Border Control Post (BCP). The list of BCPs in Ireland and their designations can be found at BCP designation Ireland
Their entry onto the EU market is subject to specific requirements such as an obligation on the importer (that is, the operator responsible for the consignment) to be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) , notification of the food through the EU online system TRACES NT (New Technology), and use of specific certificates that must accompany the food. Entry onto the EU market is controlled at the port of entry in Ireland by the department. For direct landings of fish from a fishing vessel of a third country, controls are carried out by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority. For further information on the requirements view our guidance on importing foods of animal origin and for additional requirements regarding fish or fishery products see Sea Fisheries Protection Authority.
Composite products are foodstuffs that contain both processed products of animal origin and products of plant origin. Specific requirements are set out in legislation for composite products particularly in regard to use of ingredients of animal origin with many composite products subject to veterinary checks on import. For further information on the requirements regarding these foods see
New Regulatory Requirements for Exporting to Great Britain
From 1 January 2021, things will change for our agri-food industry, particularly for importers and exporters of agri-food products, who will have to comply with new customs and regulatory requirements. The finalisation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, whilst welcome does not replicate the status quo.
Export certification requirements will have to be fulfilled on exports to Great Britain. The UK Border Operations Model published in July 2020 and updated on 8 October sets out UK Government’s approach to the administration of customs and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements as the UK will no longer be in the EU Customs Union or Single Market.
The UK proposes a phased approach to the implementation of their import requirements including SPS controls. From the 1st of January the UK have set down SPS requirements for imports of live animals, germinal products, marine caught fish and fishery products and high priority plants and plant products into Great Britain. The requirements include pre-notification on IPAFFS (UK equivalent to TRACES) and the provision of relevant certification (export health certificates/catch certificates).
DAFM has put in place the necessary resources, IT systems and business processes to facilitate trade to Great Britain from 1 January. Further work is ongoing to meet the UK import requirements commencing 1 October.
The requirements and procedures for exporting the following animals and commodities to Great Britain (GB) from 1 January 2021 are set down below:
Live Animals, excluding Horses:
Details on Transport of Live Animals Incl. Equines is available below.
Details on Fees payable on animals exported live from the State are listed Veterinary Inspection Fees.
In the event that you have further queries in relation, please contact: VIT@agriculture.gov.ie
Equine Animals
Details on Transport of Live Animals Incl. Equines is available below.
For queries in relation to Equine health certification requirements, please see Export of Horses.
For Revenue guidance on the temporary import and export of horses, please click here.
Transport of Live Animals Incl. Equines
Commercial movement of dogs between Ireland and GB
Commercial movement of dogs from Ireland to GB
Pet Travel refers to movement of pet dogs, cats and ferrets accompanied by their owner or a person authorised by the owner, and the movement is not for the purpose of sale, change or ownership or re-homing.
Pet Travel from Ireland to GB
For further queries in relation to pet travel to GB, please contact: livetrade@agriculture.gov.ie
Germinal Products
In the event that you have any queries in relation to this matter, please contact this office by emailing: VIT@agriculture.gov.ie
Hatching Eggs
In the event that you have any queries in relation to this matter, please contact this office by emailing: VIT@agriculture.gov.ie
Fishery Products
For procedural review of IUU/Catch Certificates Application and Processing Statement Application using ECS, please see the following guidance documents
For information on fisheries exports after the 1 January please click here
For information on exporting live fish and shellfish to GB please click here
Queries in relation to this or any other aspect of fisheries exports please contact
List of Regional Veterinary Offices (RVO) | Regional Veterinary Offices Contact details |
Cavan/ Monaghan/ Tipperary/ Offaly/ Westmeath/ Roscommon | Cavan Office, Government Buildings, Farnham Street, Cavan 076 106 4439 |
Leitrim/ Longford/ Sligo | Derryhallagh, Drumshanbo, Leitrim 071 9682000 |
Meath/Louth | Government Offices, Athlumney, Kilcarn, Navan, Co Meath 046 907 9030/ 076 106 4411 |
Mayo/Galway | Michael Davitt House, Castlebar, Co Mayo 094 903 5300 |
Donegal | Meeting House Street, Co. Donegal, Raphoe 074 9145990 |
Kildare/Dublin/Wicklow West/Laois/Clare/Limerick | Poplar House, Poplar Square, Naas, Co Kildare 045 873035 |
Cork/Kerry | 4th Floor, Hibernian House, 80 South Mall, Co Cork 021 485 1400 |
Waterford/Kilkenny/Wexford/Carlow/East Wicklow | Local Office Administration Unit, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Old Knockmay Road, Portlaoise, Co. Laois 0761 064413/ 051 312300 |
Johnstown Castle Estate, Co. Wexford | Johnstown Castle Estate, Wexford0761 064 415 / 053 916 3400 |
If you have any queries in relation to requesting export certification, please contact BrexitCall@agriculture.gov.ie
BCP Designation Ireland
BCPs designated for animals, products of animal origin, composite products, germinal products, animal by-products, hay and straw referred to in Article 47(1)(a) and (b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 or covered by conditions or measures referred to in Article 47(1)(d), (e) or (f) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625
DownloadThe EU requires all Wood Packaging Material (WPM) from third countries entering the Union territory to be ISPM 15 compliant:
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