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Import of Hatching Eggs (from third countries)
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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Third countries are countries outside the EU (except Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein).
‘Hatching Eggs’ means eggs, laid by poultry or captive birds, intended for incubation.
Hatching eggs are classified by Animal Health Law as a germinal product.
1.Regulation (EU) 2016/429 (‘Animal Health Law’) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 lay down the general rules for the entry into the Union of hatching eggs.
2. The requirements for entry into the Union of hatching eggs are based on the requirements for entry into the Union of live animals. The list of countries, territories or parts thereof authorised for the export of hatching eggs are laid down in Annex V (Poultry and Germinal Products of Poultry) and VI (Captive birds and Germinal Products of Captive Birds) of Regulation (EU) 2021/404.
3.Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692, Articles 98- 103 describe the specific rules for entry into the Union, and the movement and handling after entry of consignments of hatching eggs. The specific rules for consignments of hatching eggs of poultry are found are in articles 104 – 109. The specific rules for less than 20 hatching eggs of poultry (other than ratites) are in article 110 of the same regulation.
Note: The import requirements for Specified Pathogen-Free (SPF) eggs can be found separately at gov - Import of SPF Eggs (www.gov.ie) .
Chapter 1 of Part V of the Animal Health Law sets out the requirements for entry into the union of hatching eggs as follows;
(a) they must come from a listed third country or territory listed in Annex V (for hatching eggs of poultry and ratites) or Annex VI (hatching eggs of captive birds) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404.
(b) consignments of hatching eggs must come from an establishment approved by the competent authority of the third country
(c) they must fulfil the residency requirements prior to entry into the Union as per Annex XXII of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692
(d) they must fulfil the necessary animal health requirements for entry into the Union;
(e) they must be accompanied by an animal health certificate animal health certificate and by declarations and other documents where required.
Chapter 1 of Title 2 of Part III of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 (Articles 98-103) sets out the specific animal health requirements for hatching eggs. The flock of origin of the hatching eggs must have been resident in the third country for 3 months and comply with the other residency requirements in Article 98 of Reg 202/692.
a) The hatching eggs must be packaged, and transported in accordance with article 99 -102
Chapter 2 of Title 2 of Part III of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 (Articles 104-109) sets out the out the specific animal health requirements for hatching eggs of poultry which;
a) must originate from hatcheries approved by the third country of origin as per article 106
b) must be marked and disinfected as per article 108
c) comply with the requirements regarding the third country of origin and establishment of origin’s freedom from and any vaccination requirements for:
i) Highly pathogenic avian influenza
ii) Newcastle disease virus
d) comply with the flock of origin’s animal health requirements regarding:
i) Highly pathogenic avian influenza
ii) Newcastle disease virus
iii) Salmonella spp.
iv) Mycoplasma spp.
1. Consignments of hatching eggs from third countries must be accompanied by a health certificate, which conforms to the model as laid down in Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/403, which is signed by an official veterinarian or inspector of the veterinary authority in the country of origin.
Article 17 of this Regulation describes the model certificates available, the models of which are in Annex II of the same Regulation.
The animal health certificates to be used for the entry into the Union of hatching eggs shall correspond to one of the following models.
Model HEP (chapter 26): Model animal certificate for the entry into the Union of Hatching Eggs of poultry other than ratites
Model HER (chapter 27): Model animal health certificate for entry into the Union of Hatching Eggs of Ratites
Model HE-LT20 (chapter 32): Model animal health certificate for the entry into the Union of less than 20 Hatching Eggs of poultry other than ratites
Model HE-CAPTIVE-BIRDS (chapter 35): Model health certificate for the entry into the Union of hatching eggs of captive birds
1. Consignments of hatching eggs 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.
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-A), 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 hatching eggs from third countries require veterinary checks at their point of entry into the European Union, as listed in the Annex 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 type of import. A consignment of hatching eggs may only enter Ireland through an approved Border Control Post (BCP) designated ‘POA’ (products of animal origin).
Dublin Port, Dublin airport, Shannon airport and Rosslare port BCPs are all approved for ‘POA’.
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 hatching eggs 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 destroyed if necessary.
Following their entry into the Union, (i.e. release from the BCP), consignments of hatching eggs shall:
(i) be transported directly without delay to their place of destination.
(ii) comply with requirements for the species and category of hatching eggs as laid out in chapter 5 ((for poultry-see a) Poultry below)) and chapter 7 ((for captive birds)-see b) Captive Birds below)) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692:
a) Poultry
1. At the establishment of destination the hatching eggs must be:
a) Placed in separate incubators (including hatchers) from other hatching eggs.
OR
b) introduced into incubators (including hatchers) where other hatching eggs are present.
2. Breeding and productive poultry hatched from the hatching eggs shall remain for 3 weeks in the hatchery or the establishment(s) to which the hatching eggs were sent to after hatching.
During this period the poultry must be kept separate from other flocks of poultry, or if introduced onto premises with other poultry, the applicable time period applies to all the birds.
A clinical exam by an official veterinarian is required during this period.
3. If the hatching eggs were mixed with other hatching eggs as in (1) (b) above, then (2) applies to ALL the poultry hatched in the same incubator.
b) Captive birds
1. At the establishment of destination the hatching eggs must be placed in separate incubators (including hatchers) from other hatching eggs.
2. The captive birds hatched from the eggs must be quarantined in an approved establishment for at least 30 days and comply with official testing and exam requirements.
NB: As no approved quarantine establishment for captive birds is present in Ireland, the import of hatching eggs from captive birds is not possible currently.
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