Publication
Brief Guide to Importing Animal Products from Third Countries
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Consignments of animal products from third countries (i.e. non-EU countries) are subject to official controls at the border control post of first arrival into the Union.
These official controls are a series of checks that verify compliance with the relevant legislative requirements and ensure that the imports from the EU meet the required animal and public health standards before being released into free circulation within the EU itself.
The EU Official controls Regulation (OCR) -Regulation (EU) 2017/625 provides the legal framework for ensuring that competent authorities (CAs) in member states apply these official controls in a harmonious manner.
Under the OCR fees apply for official controls (i.e. SPS controls) on consignments of animals and goods imported from third countries
Imported animal products must come from a country that has been listed as an approved country to export the relevant animal products into the EU territory.
The animal products must be dispatched from an establishment that has been listed as an approved establishment by the EU, which is under the supervision and control of the competent authorities.
The country of export must be listed as having a residue monitoring plan to show that the animal products it produces are free from unwanted residues, pesticides or contaminants.
More information on the specific requirements of importing different types of animal or animal products from countries outside the EU can be found here .
A health certificate relevant to the type of product in question, conforming to the models laid down in EU legislation, must accompany the consignment.
The products must be appropriately packaged and labelled for transport into the EU.
The consignment must be presented to a designated Border Control Post (BCP) at the point of entry into the EU territory to undergo veterinary checks.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/632 lists the animals, products of animal origin, germinal products, animal-by products and derived products, composite products and hay and straw subject to official controls at border control posts (BCPs).
These animal products requiring veterinary checks are listed by customs commodity code or ‘CN Code’.
More information on the specific requirements of importing different types of animal or animal products from countries outside the EU can be found here .
Border Control Posts (BCPs) are approved by the European Commission and designated to deal with specific categories of imported products.
A consignment may only enter Ireland through an approved Border Control Post (BCP) designated for the type of product in the consignment
The EU approved BCPs in Ireland and their associated approved animal product designations can be found here .
1.The ‘operator responsible for the load’ refers to the person who is in charge of the consignment when presented at the Border Control Post.
a. This person is responsible for making the necessary declarations (including customs declarations) to the competent authorities on behalf of the importer.
b. In most circumstances this will be a customs agent working on behalf of the importer (as opposed to the importer him/herself).
2. This person who is responsible for the load must be registered with the Dept. of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
Information on how to register with DAFM can be found here .
TRACES NT (Trade Control and Expert System) is the European Commission’s online management tool for all sanitary requirements on intra-EU trade and importation of animals, semen and embryo, food, feed and plants. TRACES NT facilitates the exchange of information between all involved trading parties and control authorities and speeds up the administrative procedures.
TRACES allows for the mandatory completion of Common Health Entry Documents (CHED).
Both the organisation and the individual people within that organisation requiring access to TRACES NT must be registered in order to be able to have the relevant authorisations.
Instructions on creating a TRACES NT account can be found here .
1. Importers of products of animal origin are required to register with the relevant authority in charge of the category of the product to be imported
2. The destination establishment for consignments of products of animal origin imported for human consumption must be registered as a Food Business Operator:
3. Importers of fish and fishery products should be registered with the Dept. of Agriculture Food and Marine's Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA)
Email: SfpaFoodSafety@sfpa.ie
4. The destination establishment of Animal By-Product imports (including samples for Research and Diagnostic Samples) should be registered with the Dept. of Agriculture Food and Marine's Milk & Meat Hygiene/ABP/TSE Division
1. Consignments of 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 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.
3. There is a required minimum pre-notification notice period of at least 24 hours’ notice in advance of the consignment’s arrival.
4. Failure to submit correct documentation within this timeline may result in significant delays in the consignment being processed through the Border Control Post.
5. 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.
6. 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 etc.
7. Necessary documents and logistical information must be submitted 24 hours in advance via DAFM Import Portal .
1. 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.
Please note the original hard copy of the health certificate or its electronic equivalent if e-signed on IMSOC must travel with the consignment. The hard copy will be checked and held at the BCP at the point of entry into the EU.
2. Provided all is in order with the documentary check, the consignment will then be subject to an identity check at the BCP to ensure it identifies with the consignment that was declared in the documentation.
3. A proportion of consignments will be selected for a full physical inspection with/without sampling as appropriate.
4. 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.
5. If the consignment does not meet the import requirements, the consignment may be rejected and either re-exported or destroyed.