Register with TRACES

What Traces is
What you must do
Who to contact

What Traces is

The Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) is the European Commission’s online platform for the electronic completion of documentation required for imports of consignments from third countries and certain intra-community trade movements.

TRACES facilitates the exchange of data, information and documents between trading parties and Governments/ Import control authorities.

TRACES is required for:

the importation of animals, animal products, food and some feed of non-animal origin and plants into the European Union
internal EU trade and EU exports of animals and certain animal products

TRACES allows for the mandatory completion of Common Health Entry Documents (CHED). The purpose of the CHED is to:

1. Allow the operator responsible for the consignment to pre-notify the competent authorities of the border control post (BCP) of the arrival of the consignment (Part I).

2. For the competent authorities to record the outcome of the official controls performed and any decisions taken on that basis (Part II).

3. For the competent authorities to include information on follow up measures taken on the consignment after the decision is made (Part III).

What you must do

The person responsible for the consignment must be registered and have access to TRACES. Under TRACES the various documents that should be completed are as follows:

Common Health Entry Documents-A (CHED-A) for consignments of live animals
Common Health Entry Documents-P (CHED-P) for consignments of products of animal origin, germinal products and animal by-products
Common Health Entry Documents-PP (CHED-PP) for consignments of plants, plant products and other objects for which a phytosanitary certificate is required
Common Health Entry Document-D (CHED-D) for consignments of food and feed of non-animal origin subject to increased temporary controls and emergency measures

In order to facilitate the efficiency of import controls upon arrival, these documents should be completed in TRACES and also submitted to the Department 24 hours in advance of their arrival in Ireland.

Further information on TRACES is available below

DAFM/VPHIS TRACES (classic) Training Webinar on Groupage Certification and Sealing - 08 July 2021

Links below to videos presented at the Training Webinar

Introduction

Groupage Models and Organisation of Certification

Pallet Sealing for the Linear Groupage

TRACES (classic) - Generating Groupage EHCs

Overview of the Requirements for Certification by Type on TRACES

Questions and Answers

Brexit playlist link

DAFM/VPHIS TRACES (classic) Training Webinar on Certification Procedures for Composite Products – 24 June 2021

Links below to videos presented at the Training Webinar