Import of Animals and Animal Products: Hay and Straw

Hay from grass, clover, vetches and lucerne (alfalfa) covered under CN code 1214 90 90 and straw covered under CN code 1213 00 00 must be presented for veterinary checks at the Border Control Post (BCP) at the first point of entry on to the territory of the EU with all the appropriate documentation, as set out under Article 1 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625.

Hay and straw are non-harmonised products which means there is no EU set of rules governing their import requirements. As such, national rules apply. As animal pathogens could potentially be transmitted via hay and straw, it is important to protect Ireland’s high health status by only permitting the import of these commodities from certain countries. The list of approved third countries from which hay and straw can be imported is as follows;

Australia

Belarus 1)

Canada

Switzerland

Chile

Greenland

Iceland

New Zealand

Serbia 2

Ukraine 1

United States of America

United Kingdom (GB)

South Africa (excluding that part of the foot–and–mouth disease control area situated in the veterinary region Northern and Eastern Transvaal, in the district of Ingwavuma of the veterinary region of Natal and in the border area with Botswana east of longitude 28°)

1 Only pelleted straw intended for combustion, which is directly delivered under customs transit procedure as provided for in Article 4(16)(b) of Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 and through monitoring in TRACES from the approved border inspection post (BIP) of entry into the Union to the destination plant in the Union, where it is going to be burnt.

2 As referred to in Article 135 of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States of the one part, and the Republic of Serbia, of the other part

There are no approved establishments for the entry of hay or straw into the EU.

A commercial document, as per the template below, should be completed by the exporter and should accompany the load to the BCP (either as hard copy or an electronic copy of the signed original).

(i) Consignments of hay and straw 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.

(ii) 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.

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

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

(v) 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.

(vi) Copies of other supporting documentation associated with the consignment should be submitted at this time as well - such as the statutory declaration or the document issued by the competent authority of the third country, Invoice, Packing list and so on.

(i) 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 commercial document and other documents accompanying a consignment.

(ii) 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.

(iii) A proportion of consignments will be selected for a full physical inspection with/without sampling as appropriate.

(iv) 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.

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

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