Live Animal Imports: Day-Old Chicks

1.Regulation (EU) 2016/429 (‘Animal Health Law’) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 lay down the rules for the entry into the Union of live poultry.

‘Day-old chicks’ means poultry less than 72 hours old.

1. Day-old chicks must comply with the general import conditions for live animals on gov.ie - Live Animal Imports (www.gov.ie)

2. The list of countries, territories or parts thereof authorised for the export of live poultry are laid down in Annex V of Regulation (EU) 2021/404

3. Consignments of poultry including day-old chicks must come from an establishment approved by the competent authority of the third country.

4. Poultry must comply with the required residency period as laid out in Table 2 of Annex III to Regulation (EU) 2020/692

1. Consignments of day-old chicks shall only be permitted to enter into the Union if the animals of the consignment have been hatched in establishments:

(a) within a 10 km radius of which, including, where appropriate, the territory of a neighbouring country, there has been no outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza or infection with Newcastle disease virus during the period of at least 30 days prior to the date of dispatch to the Union;

(b) in which no confirmed case of infection with low pathogenic avian influenza viruses has been reported during the period of at least 21 days prior to the date of collection of the hatching eggs from which the day-old chicks were hatched

1. Consignments of day-old chicks shall only be permitted to enter into the Union if the animals of the consignment originate from flocks which comply with the following requirements:

(a) if the flocks have been vaccinated against highly pathogenic avian influenza, ‘A’ must be marked in Column 5 beside the relevant country of origin in Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/404

(b) if the flocks have been vaccinated against infection with Newcastle disease virus ‘B’ must be marked in Column 5 beside the relevant country of origin in Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/404

(c) the flocks have undergone a disease surveillance programme that meets the requirements set out in Annex II of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035

(d) the flocks are kept in establishments which in the case of certain disease outbreaks comply with the requirements of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692

2. Consignments of day-old chicks intended for a Member State with status free from infection with Newcastle disease virus without vaccination shall only be permitted to enter into the Union if the animals of the consignment comply with the requirements set out in CDR 2020/692

3. Consignments of day-old chicks shall only be permitted to enter the Union if the animals of the consignment:

4. The specific requirements for consignments of less than 20 heads of poultry other than ratites, including day-old chicks are set out in CDR 2020/692

1. Consignments imported from third countries must be accompanied by the relevant health certificate, which conforms to the models laid down in Regulation (EU) 2021/403 and which is signed by an official veterinarian or inspector of the veterinary authority in the country of origin.

Model DOC (day-old chicks other than ratites) Chapter 25

Model DOR (day-old chicks of ratites) Chapter 26

Model POU-LT20 (for less than 20 heads of poultry other than ratites) Chapter 32

1. Consignments live animals entering the EU must be inspected at an EU-approved Border control Post (BCP) where Member States' official veterinarians ensure they fulfil all the requirements provided for in the EU legislation.

2. The person responsible for the load being imported (the importer or a customs agent acting on their behalf) must give the BCP at the intended point of entry advance notification of the arrival of the consignment.

There is a required minimum pre-notification notice period of at least 24 hours’ notice in advance of the consignment’s arrival.

Failure to submit correct documentation within this timeline may result in significant delays in the consignment being processed through the Border Control Post.

Pre-notification is given by the submission of Part 1 of the Common Health Entry Document (CHED-P), as is laid down in Commission Implementing Regulation (EC) No. 2019/1715, through the online TRACES system.

3. Copies of other supporting documentation associated with the consignment should be submitted at this time as well - such as the Health Certificate, Invoice, Packing list and so on.

4. Necessary documents and logistical information must be submitted 24 hours in advance via the DAFM Import Portal

1. All live animals from third countries require veterinary checks at their point of entry into the European Union, as listed in Annex I to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/632.

2. EU harmonised import controls are carried out at an approved Border Control Post (BCP) that is designated to deal with that species of animal. A consignment of day-old chicks may only enter Ireland through an approved Border Control Post (BCP) designated ‘O’ for other animals

Dublin Airport, Dublin Port and Rosslare port BCPs are all approved for ‘O’ animals.

3. Providing all the documentation has been submitted correctly and within the correct timeframes, a large proportion of the documentary check can be commenced in advance of the consignment’s arrival. This includes examination of the veterinary certificate and other documents accompanying a consignment.

The original hard copy of the health certificate must travel with the consignment and will be checked and held at the BCP at the point of entry into the EU.

4. Provided all is in order with the documentary check, the consignment of live animals will then be subject to an identity check and physical check with/without sampling as appropriate at the BCP.

5. Upon satisfactory completion of the required checks, the decision is entered in Part 2 of the CHED which must accompany the consignment to the first place of destination referred to in the CHED.

6. If the consignment does not meet the import requirements, the consignment may be rejected entry and re-exported or in exceptional circumstances, humanely destroyed if necessary.