Untreated Wool and Hair Produced from Animals other than those of the Porcine Species

Wool is the natural fibre grown by sheep or lambs.

Fine animal hair is the hair of alpaca, llama, vicuna, camel (including dromedary), yak, angora, Tibetan, Kashmir or similar goats (but not common goats), rabbit, (including angora rabbit), hare, beaver, nutria or muskrat.

Coarse animal hair, is the hair of animals that are not mentioned above, but excludes horsehair and other types of animal hair used to make brushes and bristles.

Horsehair is the hair of the manes or tails of equine or bovine animals

Untreated wool or hair is wool or hair which has not:

• Undergone factory washing
• Been obtained from tanning
• Been treated by another method that ensures that no unacceptable risks remain
• Been produced from animals other than those of the porcine species, and has undergone factory-washing which consisting of the immersion of the wool in series of baths of water, soap and sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide
• Been produced from animals other than those of the porcine species, is intended for being dispatched directly to a plant producing derived products from wool for the textile industry and has undergone at least one of the following treatments:

a. Chemical depilation by means of slaked lime or sodium sulphide

b. Fumigation in formaldehyde in a hermetically sealed chamber for at least 24 hours

c. Industrial scouring which consists of the immersion of wool in a water-soluble detergent held at 60–70 °C

d. Storage, which may include the journey time, at 37 °C for eight days, 18 °C for 28 days or 4 °C for 120 days

The raw materials used in the production of untreated wool and hair produced from animals other than those of the porcine species must be sourced from Category 3 material referred to in Article 10(h) and (n) in Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009.

Dry, untreated wool and hair may be exported to the EU from any Third Country if it:

• Is securely packaged
• Is sent directly to a plant producing derived products for uses outside the feed chain or a plant carrying out intermediate operations, under conditions which prevent the spreading of pathogenic agents.

Wool and hair, (referred to in Article 25(2)(e) in Regulation (EU) No. 142/2011), may be exported to the EU, if it:

• Was produced at least 21 days before the date of entry into the Union and kept in a third country or region thereof which is:

a) Listed in Part 1 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 and authorised for imports into the Union of fresh meat of ruminants not subject to supplementary guarantees A and F, is free of foot-and-mouth disease, and, that wool and hair from sheep and goats, is free of sheep pox and goat pox in accordance with Annex II to Directive 2004/68/EC

b) It is accompanied by a importers' declaration as required in accordance with Chapter 21 of Annex XV in Regulation (EU) No. 142/2011.

Lists of approved establishments may be found here (Animal by-products: Section III).

Document Submission

Animal by-products 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 EU legislation.

The operator responsible for the consignment 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 NT system.

Other supporting documentation associated with the consignment should also be submitted at this stage including health certificate, invoice, packing list, bill etc.

Border control

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

The consignment will also undergo an identity check at the BCP to ensure it matches with the consignment declared in the documentation.

A selection of consignments will be selected for a full physical inspection with/without sampling as appropriate.

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.

If the consignment does not meet the import requirements, it may be rejected and either re-exported or destroyed.