Movement within the EU

When you move animals within the EU, please be aware of the animal health requirements that apply.

There are general requirements that apply to movements of kept terrestrial animals and aquatic animals.

Kept animals means they are kept permanently or temporarily by humans.

General requirements to movement

A number of general requirements apply when moving consignments within the EU. They are listed in section IV in regulation (EU) 2016/429 and are the following:

  • Establishment of origin. At the establishment of origin of the animals, there must be no abnormal mortality of unknown causes. The establishment must not be subject to any movement restrictions or located in a restricted zone, eg. as a result of an outbreak of disease.
  • Registered/Approved. The establishment from where the animals are moved, must be either registered or approved by the competent authority. 
  • Traceability. The consignment of animals must comply with relevant identification and registration requirements. 
  • Animal health. The animals must not show any signs of disease.
  • Biosecurity measures.  Operators of establishments from where animals are moved must where appropriate take such biosecurity measures to ensure that the consignments does not jeopardise the health status at the place of destination with regard to the listed diseases and emerging diseases.
  • Contact to other animals. For a sufficiently long period of time prior to the intended movement, the animals of the consignment must not have been in contact with other kept animals subject to movement restrictions or kept animals with a lower health status.
  • Documentation.  The consignment must be accompanied by an animal health certificate and/or a self–declaration by operators depending on what is required for the movement in question. 

The above applies to:

  • Movement to Denmark from another EU member state, and Switzerland and Norway.
  • Movement from Denmark to another EU member state, and Switzerland and Norway.

Notification of movement

Operators moving animals shall, if the consignments must be accompanied by an animal health certificate, notify the movement in advance to the veterinary authorities that are issuing the certificate.

In case of movements from Denmark the notifications must be conducted via the Eksportportalen.

Go to the Eksportportalen 

In case of movements to Denmark, please contact the competent authority in the country of dispatch for further information.

Movement of species where animal health certificates are not a requirements, the consignments must be accompanied by a self–declaration by operators. You can read more about self–declaration in regulation (EU) 2016/429:

  • Article 151 (kept terrestrial animals)
  • Article 218 (aquatic animals)

There is no a model for the self–declaration. However, the needed information in the self–declarations is stated in Articles 151 and 218.

Disease prevention measures in relation to transport

Operators,m including transporters shall take the appropriate and necessary preventive measures to ensure that the health status of kept terrestrial animals or aquatic animals is not jeopardised during transport and that the terrestrial animals or aquatic animals does not jeopardise the health
status at the place of destination. 

Additional animals health requirements

There are additional species specific animal health requirements for certain animal species and hatching eggs besides the general requirements.

You can read more about them in:

  • Regulation (EU) 2016/429 (ungulates and poultry)
  • Regulation (EU) 2020/688 (terrestrial animals and hatching eggs)
  • Regulation (EU) 2020/990 (aquatic animals)

Link to the legislation

What are terrestrial animals?

Terrestrial animals means in this context:

  • Birds
  • Terrestrial mammals, eg. horses, pigs and dogs
  • Bees and bumble bees

 

 

What are aquatic animals?

​Animals of the following species at all stages of development, including egg

  • Fish belonging to the infraphylum: Agnatha (jawless vertebrates) and the classes Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish), Sarcopterygii (finned fish) and Osteichthyes (bony fish)
  • Aquatic molluscs belonging to the phyllum Mollusca, eg. squids, clams and snails
  • Aquatic crustaceans belonging to the subphylum Crustacea, eg. crabs, shrimps and lobsters

 

Register your establishment

Movement of kept terrestrial animals, hatching eggs or aquatic animals must take place from registered or approved establishments.