Export of Horses

The UK’s departure from the EU will result in a change in the rules for the movement of live animals between Ireland and the UK.

Export Health Certs to Great Britain will be completed on TRACES NT, and will require uploading of these certs on the UKs IPAFFS system. Please see the guidance notes and trader notices below.

Please see the links below for the latest Brexit information notes on equine movements, including information about using the landbridge, and also general Brexit information:

• Guidance Notes and Trader Notices; Movement of Equines between Ireland and the UK from 1st January 2021
• General Brexit information: Trading in animals and animal products
• Using the UK Landbridge
• Brexit Homepage

TRACES instruction manual on Export Health Certs:

Please read through the information on these sites carefully, as most questions will be answered there.

• For Brexit specific queries (e.g. how to register as a importer/exporter) that aren’t answered above, please contact Brexitcall@agriculture.gov.ie or 076 106 4443.

• For questions about Transporter Licensing or Type 1 or 2 licenses, vehicle inspections or driver certificates please contact transport@agriculture.gov.ie or 01 607 2848.

• For questions about Horse Import procedures please contact animalproductimports@agriculture.gov.ie

• For technical questions related to TRACES please contact the TRACES helpline in DAFM traces@agriculture.gov.ie or in EU sante-traces@ec.europa.euor + 32 2 297 63 50

• For questions about the health certificates or export of horses please contact horseexports@agriculture.gov.ieor 01 607 2465

All horses can travel to France on the appropriate intra-trade animal health certificate. Please see the next section “Movement of Horses to other EU countries” for details, gov.ie - Export of Horses (www.gov.ie)

Certain registered horses can travel to France on a DOCOM instead of an intra-trade animal health certificate, which must be prepared on TRACES NT by the operators themselves, and without DAFM sign off. To find out if your horse is eligible for travel on a DOCOM you must be signed up to use DOCOMs with the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board (IHRB) – for thoroughbreds in training - or the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association (ITBA) – for breeding thoroughbreds. Please contact the IHRB or ITBA directly for more information on how to sign up. You will not be able to use DOCOMs on TRACES until you have signed up with one of the above organisations.

For information on the DOCOM process please see powerpoint presentation below, or contact horseexports@agriculture.gov.ie with any questions, or the Traces team directly for TRACES NT related questions at traces@agriculture.gov.ie.

If your registered horse is not eligible for transport with a DOCOM, an Intra-Trade Animal Health Cert is required, please see section “Movement of Horses to other EU countries” gov.ie - Export of Horses (www.gov.ie)

If you need to register for TRACES please see the manuals on TRACES below or in section “Movement of Horses to other EU countries” gov.ie - Export of Horses (www.gov.ie), and for questions please contact traces@agriculture.gov.ie

For information on the landbridge please see:

• Using the UK Landbridge

SOPs on how to use TRACES

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) veterinary animal health certification is required for movement of equine animals between Ireland and other EU Member States, with the exception of animals moving to France on a DOCOM.

Processing requests for an Intra-Trade Animal Health certificate (ITAHC) requires supporting documentation from the equine operator and Private Veterinary Practitioner, and will be processed by your local RVO.

Registration on CCS for billing will be required in advance of any certification by DAFM. To register for CCS please use the following link https://publicapps.agriculture.gov.ie/ccm-pub-ui/

If you have any questions about the TRACES system, please contact traces@agriculture.gov.ie

For information on the landbridge please see:

• Using the UK Landbridge

Please see the manuals and guidance notes below for information on getting set up on TRACES NT, and arranging for an Intra-Trade Animal Health Cert:

Guidance Notes on equine movement to other EU countries

Guidance Notes for people wishing to send horses to other EU Countries: Animal Health Law (AHL)

Private Veterinary Practitioner (PVP)

TRACES manuals

DAFM veterinary animal health certification is required for movement of equine animals between Ireland and the USA. This will be carried out by your local RVO, Please contact them directly for the information you need, see link below:

Regional Offices Contact Details

Processing requests for equine export certificate for the USA requires supporting documentation from the equine operator and Private Veterinary Practitioner.

An ITAHC will be required if your horse is travelling through another EU country on it’s way to a country outside the EU. Please see other sections for information on Export of Horses

Registration on CCS for billing will be required in advance of any certification by DAFM. To register for CCS please use the following link https://publicapps.agriculture.gov.ie/ccm-pub-ui/

DAFM veterinary animal health certification is required for movement of equine animals between Ireland and non-EU countries. This will be carried out both by the team in Agriculture House in conjunction with the RVOs for non-EU countries other than the UK and USA.

Processing requests for equine export certificate for third countries requires supporting documentation from the equine operator and Private Veterinary Practitioner.

Registration on CCS for billing will be required in advance of any certification by DAFM. To register for CCS please use the following link https://publicapps.agriculture.gov.ie/ccm-pub-ui/

Please contact horseexports@agriculture.gov.ie for further information on equine export certificates for non-EU countries or for more information on the process, and see trader notice below:

Providing Official Equine Health Certification for Export to Great Britain or for Intra-Trade Equine Movements at Sales – Goffs and Tattersalls

For information on how to bring a horse into Ireland from another EU country, please contact the local government veterinarian in the EU country of origin to enquire about getting a health certificate produced at point of origin. An intra-animal health certificate will be required, which must be produced at the point of origin. DAFM is not involved in the creation of these intra-EU certs in other countries. Please contact horseexports@agriculture.gov.ie for information if required.

For information on how to bring a horse into Ireland from a non-EU country, including Great Britain, please see Live Animal Imports: Equine Animals , or contact Animalproductimports@agriculture.gov.ie

• For questions about Transporter Licensing or Type 1 or 2 licenses, vehicle inspections or driver certificates please contact transport@agriculture.gov.ie or 01 607 2848

General Conditions Document

Codes of Practice

• SCOPAFF presentations April 2023
• EU Commissions website

Please contact horseexports@agriculture.gov.ie for more information.