Guidance

Imports, exports and EU trade of animals and animal products: topical issues

Current issues relating to imports and exports of animals and animal products.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency
Published
23 March 2015
Last updated
231 NovemberOctober 2022 — See all updates

This page provides details on particular issues or changes that importers and exporters may need to be aware of.

You can read a collection of all the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) guidance and forms for importing and exporting live animals or animal products.

Defra’s animal disease monitoring collection covers major, notifiable or new and emerging animal disease outbreaks internationally and in the UK.

Lifting of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) import restrictions: Japan

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Read ‘Poultry and poultry products’ and ‘Meat Products’ on the Non-EU countries approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain page for more information about affected commodities.commodities and regions.

Sheep and goat pox in Spain

From 30 September we have temporarily restricted live sheep and goats from Spain entering Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), along with the following sheep and goat products:

  • germplasm
  • untreated wool
  • raw milk and milk products

On 19 September 2022, an outbreak of sheep and goat pox was confirmed in Spain. The extent of the disease outbreak is yet to be determined. This suspension will remain in place until all necessary biosecurity checks have taken place and the current sheep and goat pox outbreak is under control.

Find out the countries approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain.

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Botswana

Great Britain has temporarily suspended exports of fresh meat and by-products of ungulates from the whole of Botswana if they were processed after 28 July 2022.

On 27 August 2022, an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) was confirmed in a previously FMD free region of Botswana.

The extent of the disease outbreak is yet to be determined. This suspension will remain in place until all necessary biosecurity checks have taken place and the current FMD outbreak is under control.

Find out the countries approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain.

Commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine 

If you commercially import dogs, cats and ferrets into Great Britain that originate from or have been dispatched from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine, you must have Approved Importer status.

Commercial imports are the sale of or the transfer of ownership of a pet animal. This includes rescue animals and if you are travelling with more than 5 dogs, cats or ferrets if these animals are not attending training for a competition, show or sporting event.

This special measure does not apply to non-commercial pet animals from these countries.

Find out how to apply for Approved Importer status.

This special measure replaces the temporary suspension of commercial imports of dogs, cats and ferrets from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine. It will apply until it is revoked or amended.

These countries present a high risk of rabies transmission.

Read the:

Measures from 3 September until 29 October 2022

Read the:

Rodents imported from Lithuania

An ongoing outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis among the UK public has been linked to mice imported from Lithuania for use as animal feed, particularly for reptiles. The risk posed to public health has led to a decision to prohibit imports of feeder rodents (mice and rats for use as animal feed) from Lithuania into the UK, coming into force from 17 February 2022.

The following safeguard measures give effect to this decision. These are published on behalf of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (England), the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd (Wales), the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Northern Ireland) and Food Standards Scotland:

The special measures shall continue to apply until revoked or amended. The measures will be reviewed over the coming months to take into account any actions taken by the Lithuanian authorities to control the risk from imports of feeder rodents in the long term.

Avian influenza (bird flu) outside the UK

This section was updated on 9 May 2022.

Our research reports provide preliminary and updated outbreak assessments for avian influenza (bird flu) in Europe, Russia and in the UK.

You cannot import poultry and poultry products into the UK from disease restricted zones around confirmed cases of avian flu in EU countries.

You must not import from non-EU countries with an outbreak of avian influenza unless they comply with specific requirements in Commission Regulation (EC) 798/2008.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Canada and the United States of America

Defra has received notification of multiple outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) by authorities in Canada and the United States.

The import of certain animals and products originating in, or dispatched from, the affected regions in both countries pose an unacceptable level of risk to animal health in Great Britain.

Imports to Great Britain of relevant poultry and poultry products (including hatching eggs and day old chicks) from affected regions of Canada and the United States are no longer authorised.

Read ‘Poultry and poultry products [EUR 2008/ 798]’ on the Non-EU countries approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain page for more information about the affected commodities and regions.

This document supersedes the safeguard declarations published by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (England), Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd (Wales), and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands (Scotland) which have now been revoked:

Restrictions to trade first came into force on 25 March 2022 and will remain in place until the necessary conditions have been met to resume trade from the affected regions.

Lifting of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) import restrictions: Ukraine

Since December 2020, imports of poultry products from Ukraine to Great Britain have been suspended due to outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

The Ukrainian authorities have supplied information to Defra about the epidemiological situation and the measures taken to control the outbreaks.

An assessment of risk led by Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (in consultation with the Food Standards Agency) concluded that allowing imports of poultry products from Ukraine to resume poses an acceptable level of risk to public and animal health in Great Britain. This is provided the consignments originate from outside the areas affected by HPAI.

Based on that assessment, Defra, Scottish and Welsh governments have agreed to allow trade to resume.

A Statutory Instrument (The Approved Country Lists (Animals and Animal Products) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021) came into force on 17 December 2021 to implement this decision.

Lifting of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) import restrictions: Australia

Since July 2020, imports of poultry and poultry products from Australia to Great Britain have been suspended due to outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

The Australian authorities have supplied information to Defra about the epidemiological situation and the measures taken to control the outbreaks.

An assessment of risk led by Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (in consultation with the Food Standards Agency) concluded that allowing imports of poultry and poultry products from Australia to resume poses an acceptable level of risk to public and animal health in Great Britain.

Based on that assessment, Defra, Scottish and Welsh governments have agreed to allow trade to resume.

A Statutory Instrument (The Approved Country Lists (Animals and Animal Products) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021) came into force on 17 December 2021 to implement this decision.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Botswana

On 6 September 2021, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) was notified of an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) of subtype H5N1 by authorities in Botswana. The outbreak was confirmed on a poultry farm outside of Gaborone.

In order to prevent the introduction of HPAI into Great Britain, Botswana is no longer authorised to certify and export poultry of live breeding or productive ratites, day old chicks of ratites, hatching eggs of ratites and meat of farmed ratites to Great Britain for human consumption. Full details on the commodities affected and new restrictions are available in the declarations below.

These safeguarding measures prohibiting imports of susceptible commodities from Botswana are published on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (England), Scottish Ministers and the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales and the Trefnydd, (one of the Welsh Ministers).

These restrictions will be put in place until all the necessary criteria of assurances to resume certification of trade to Great Britain are met.

Avian influenza (bird flu) in the UK

This section was updated on 13 April 2022.

Our avian influenza (bird flu) page covers the latest situation and advice to bird keepers on measures to protect against the disease. This includes specific information on import and export issues.

See our Avian influenza (bird flu): cases and disease control zones in England page for information on cases of bird flu and the measures that apply in the disease control zones in England.

Bluetongue virus in Europe

The bluetongue guide covers the latest situation and advice on measures to protect against the disease. If you are moving live animals or animal products, read guidance about  importing and exporting.

If you are moving goats, cervids (deer) or other susceptible ruminants, contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) Centre for International Trade (CIT) Carlisle about the restrictions.

There are similar restrictions on the trade in germinal products (semen, ova and embryos) of cattle, sheep and goats. APHA’s imports of live animals and genetic material importer information notes explains these restrictions.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) status for Canada and Ireland

This section was updated on 8 August 2022.

The World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OiE) has updated the risk status for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) from ‘controlled’ to ‘negligible’ for Canada and Ireland.

A review of the WOAH assessment has been carried out by Defra in consultation with the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland. Based on that review Defra, Scottish and Welsh Governments have agreed to recognise the change in BSE risk status of Canada and Ireland to negligible.

Official veterinarians in Canada and Ireland must be aware of this change when certifying exports of certain bovine, ovine and caprine commodities to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).

Find out the:

African swine fever (ASF) in the European Union and EFTA states

Pork and pork products over 2kg are now prohibited from entering Great Britain unless they have been produced to EU commercial standards.

This is because certain pork products which originate from or have been dispatched from the EU pose an unacceptable risk to animal health in Great Britain.

ASF has been spreading across mainland Europe towards Great Britain, leading to the deaths of thousands of pigs and causing significant disruption to the meat trade. The disease poses a significant risk to our pig herd and our long-term ability to export pork and pork products around the globe.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has carried out a risk assessment and concluded that the ASF virus could be ‘regularly introduced’ into Great Britain from the European Union. APHA have increased the risk that the ASF virus will enter Great Britain through human activities to ‘high’ after new outbreaks across Europe.

Special measures from 1 September 2022

The following safeguard measures give effect to this decision. These are published on behalf of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (England), Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd (Wales), and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands (Scotland).

Read the:

These special measures apply from 1 September 2022 and will continue to apply until they are revoked or amended.

Preventing the spread of ASF

Defra’s African swine fever guide covers how to spot ASF, what to do if you suspect it and measures to prevent its spread.

For more information see:

Chronic wasting disease

Norwegian authorities have reported cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD). To control the spread of disease, the following trade restrictions are in place:

  • you cannot import reindeer and other cervid species (deer) from Norway to UK or countries in the EU
  • you cannot import any of the following unprocessed products into the UK: deer urine, deer faeces, and lures obtained from deer for use in deer hunting or other deer attracting activities which contain the above animal by-products
  • you cannot import deer products into the UK if they were manufactured in the USA, Canada, South Korea and Norway (where CWD is present) or produced from deer products from those countries
  • you can only import products from countries free from CWD under certain conditions

Some areas of Sweden and Finland also have trade restrictions in place for live cervids (deer), because of the risk of this disease spreading through movements of free ranging animals. APHA’s Importer Information Note (ABP IIN 44) explains the ban and the procedure to follow to import processed products.

Read our qualitative risk assessment for the risk of CWD being introduced into Great Britain.

Lumpy skin disease in Europe

Outbreaks of lumpy skin disease were confirmed in bovine holdings in Greece and Bulgaria between 2015 and 2017. Although no outbreaks were reported from these countries in the past 4 years, vaccination is still taking place and restrictions remain until disease free status is restored. 

To prevent the spread of disease, restrictions have been put in place on movements from the affected areas of:

  • live bovine animals
  • bovine genetic material (semen, ova and embryos)
  • milk and dairy products from bovine animals
  • unprocessed animal by-products of bovine animals
  • bovine skins and hides

Defra’s lumpy skin disease guide covers how to spot lumpy skin disease, what to do if you suspect it and measures to prevent it.

Crabs to Hong Kong: residue testing

This section was updated on 27 March 2019.

The import restrictions on live brown crab exported from Anglesey, Wales introduced by the Hong Kong authorities remain in place. Brown crabs from Anglesey, should not be exported to Hong Kong until the situation is resolved.

Restrictions on trade of agricultural commodities to the Russian Federation

This section was updated on 27 March 2019.

The Russian Federation has banned the import of a number of agricultural commodities from the whole of the EU including the UK and also the USA, Canada, Australia and Norway until December 2019. The ban was imposed on 7 August 2014.

Banned products

The ban covers many agricultural products, raw materials, plants and foodstuffs including most meat, dairy and fish.

If you need to check whether a particular product is affected, please contact APHA or Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

Withdrawal of Export Health Certificates for the Russian Federation

In the light of this, APHA and DAERA have withdrawn all Export Health Certificates for the animals and animal products affected, for the duration of this ban. This also applies to consignments of these commodities transiting through the Russian Federation to another destination. But there may be exceptions so you should check.

Any exporter planning to send any consignment (including live animals) to the Russian Federation should get assurances from importers in the Russian Federation that the consignment will be accepted. If consignments of live animals are blocked at the border of the Russian Federation, re-entry into the UK or any other member state is not permitted under EU law. Exceptions may be considered in specific cases.

You should also see the Department for International Trade’s guide on exporting to Russia.

Contacts

Contact APHA’s Centre for International Trade (CIT) Carlisle for advice about imports and exports to and from Great Britain.

Exporters in Northern Ireland should contact:

Published 23 March 2015
Last updated 231 NovemberOctober 2022 + show all updates

  1. From 28 October 2022, the import of fresh poultry meat from Japan into Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) is suspended.

  2. Approved Importer status for the commercial import of animals from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Romania applies to Wales from 1 November 2022.

  3. Added how to apply for Approved Importer status from 29 October 2022 if you commercially import dogs, cats and ferrets into England that originate from or have been dispatched from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine.

  4. Removed ‘fresh or chilled skins and hides’ from the list of sheep and goat products from Spain that are restricted from entering Great Britain.

  5. Added a new section for the lifting of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) import restrictions from Japan.

  6. Added a new section for sheep and goat pox in Spain. From 30 September, live sheep and goats and certain sheep and goat products from Spain are temporarily restricted from entering Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).

  7. Added new section on foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Botswana. Great Britain has temporarily suspended exports of fresh meat and by-products of ungulates from the whole of Botswana if they were processed after 28 July 2022.

  8. Great Britain’s temporary suspension of the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originate from or have been dispatched from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine, has been extended until 29 October 2022.

  9. Added African Swine Fever (ASF) special measures. From 1 September, pork and pork products over 2kg are prohibited from entering Great Britain unless they have been produced to EU commercial standards.

  10. Edited the guidance under the 'Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) status for Canada and Ireland' heading.

  11. The World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OiE) has updated the risk status for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) from 'controlled' to 'negligible' for Canada and Ireland.

  12. Added 4 new documents to revoke safeguard measures for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Canada and the United States of America.

  13. Great Britain’s temporary suspension of the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originate from or have been dispatched from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine, has been extended until 3 September 2022.

  14. 6 updated documents have been uploaded for 'Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Canada and the United States of America'; 1. 'Highly pathogenic avian influenza in the USA: declaration of special measures (England)' | 2. 'Highly pathogenic avian influenza in the USA: declaration of special measures (Scotland)' | 3. 'Highly pathogenic avian influenza in USA: declaration of special measures (Wales)' | 4. 'Highly pathogenic avian influenza in Canada: declaration of special measures (England)' | 5. 'Highly pathogenic avian influenza in Canada: declaration of special measures (Scotland)' | 6. 'Highly pathogenic avian influenza in Canada: declaration of special measures (Wales)'.

  15. Updated the declarations under the 'Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Canada and the United States of America' heading.

  16. Great Britain’s temporary suspension of the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originate from or have been dispatched from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine, has been extended until 9 July 2022.

  17. Declarations of special measures for the commercial import of animals from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Romania will be replaced with new declarations from 14 May 2022.

  18. Updated the declarations under the 'Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Canada and the United States of America' heading.

  19. Added the Declaration of special measures for the commercial import of animals from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Romania to Wales.

  20. Updated the USA declarations under the 'Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Canada and the United States of America' heading to reflect new outbreaks in the United States.

  21. Declaration of special measures for the commercial import of animals from Ukraine, Belarus. Poland and Romania to Scotland.

  22. England has temporarily suspended the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originate from or have been dispatched from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland or Romania, until 14 May 2022.

  23. Updated the USA declarations under the 'Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Canada and the United States of America' heading to reflect new outbreaks in the United States.

  24. Updated the section ‘Avian influenza (bird flu) outside the UK’. Replaced the USA avian influenza declarations for England, Wales and Scotland with new versions.

  25. Updated the section ‘Avian influenza (bird flu) outside the UK’. There are multiple outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the US and Canada. Imports to Great Britain of relevant poultry and poultry products (including hatching eggs and day old chicks) from affected regions of Canada and the United States are no longer authorised.

  26. Updated the sections about bluetongue virus, African swine fever, chronic wasting disease and lumpy skin disease.

  27. Added safeguarding measures on feeder rodents imported from Lithuania.

  28. Updated the section 'Avian influenza (bird flu) outside the UK'. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) import restrictions for Ukraine and Australia have been lifted.

  29. Added information regarding Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Botswana and the suspension of imports of certain animals and products from Botswana.

  30. Updated the information under the 'Avian influenza (bird flu) in the UK' heading to reflect the UK is now free from avian influenza.

  31. Updated following the confirmation of low pathogenic avian influenza at a commercial chicken farm in Mid Suffolk.

  32. New advice on African swine fever added. Advice updated on avian influenza (bird flu), bluetongue virus and lumpy skin disease. Crabs from Anglesey still cannot be exported to Hong Kong. Continued restrictions on trade of agricultural commodities to the Russian Federation until December 2019.

  33. Avian influenza (bird flu) in the UK section updated: trade unaffected following findings of bird flu in wild birds in England. Avian influenza (bird flu) outside the UK section updated: new strain of HPAI detected in wild birds in Northern Europe.

  34. Bluetongue virus in Europe section added and updated the chronic wasting disease and lumpy skin disease sections.

  35. Avian influenza in the UK section updated: the UK has declared itself free from highly pathogenic avian influenza today.

  36. Updated the guidance on avian influenza in Europe and the UK, lumpy skin disease in Europe, and restrictions on trade of agricultural commodities to the Russian Federation.

  37. Updated in the light of the case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) confirmed in turkeys on a poultry farm near Louth in Lincolnshire on 16 December 2016.

  38. Updated information about avian influenza (bird flu) outside the UK, lumpy skin disease in Europe and chronic wasting disease in Norway.

  39. Added information on the UK becoming officially free of notifiable avian influenza.

  40. Published an update on lumpy skin disease in Bulgaria and updated content under other headings.

  41. Avian influenza (bird flu) section updated: the UK has today declared itself free from highly pathogenic avian influenza.

  42. Updated the section on Avian influenza (bird flu) in the UK.

  43. Updated the section on: Avian influenza (bird flu) outside the UK

  44. Avian Influenza section updated as final cleansing has now been done.

  45. Added new section on Lumpy skin disease in Greece. Removed the section on changes to the import requirements of intermediate products.

  46. We've made a further about to the information about exports of crabs to Hong Kong.

  47. Updated the section dealing with export of live crabs to China and Hong Kong.

  48. Updated to reflect lifting of avian influenza (bird flu) restrictions in Lancashire on 16 August 2015.

  49. Updated Restrictions on trade of agricultural commodities to the Russian Federation as ban has been extended to 2016.

  50. Avian influenza: United Kingdom (UK) notification of regionalisation added.

  51. Added line on outbreak of avian influenza in the commune of Herzlake, Lower Saxony, Germany.

  52. Section on bird flu in the UK updated to reflect a confirmed case at a farm in Lancashire. Page reordered - it now leads with the most recently updated item.

  53. Section on bird flu in the UK updated to reflect a suspect case at a farm in Lancashire.

  54. Amended the following sections: Avian Influenza (AI) outbreaks in the UK: availability of Export Health Certificates; Low Pathogenic Outbreak of Avian Influenza in the UK.

  55. Updated the Live crabs to China: residue testing section.

  56. Added information around horse imports from third countries.

  57. Added information about a new methodology for determining cadmium levels in foods.

  58. Added information about live crab exports to China.

  59. First published.

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