1. Importing dogs, cats and ferrets
The conditions are laid down in Regulation (EU) 2020/692.
A veterinary certificate in accordance with the model (CANIS-FELIS-FERRETS) set out in Annex II, Chapter 38, of Regulation (EU) 2021/403 must be presented during veterinary checks at the EU’s external border. This must have been drawn up in accordance with the instructions for completing certificates set out in Annex I, Chapter 4, of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235.
Imports may only take place from those third countries listed in Annex VIII, Part 1, of Regulation (EU) 2021/404, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2022/35.
The animals must be clearly identified (since 3 July 2011, animals may only be identified by means of a microchip).
To provide a clearer overview, the countries listed in Part 1 of Annex VIII to Regulation (EU) 2021/404 are divided into two groups: those from which imports are permitted without a serological blood test (rabies titre determination), and those for which a serological blood test is mandatory.
A. No serological rabies test (rabies titre determination) is required for dogs, cats and ferrets from the following countries:
Andorra, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican City State, Ascension, United Arab Emirates, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Aruba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Barbados, Bahrain, Bermuda, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba (the Caribbean Netherlands), Canada, Chile, Curaçao, Fiji, the Falkland Islands, the United Kingdom, Guernsey, Hong Kong, the Isle of Man, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Cayman Islands, Saint Lucia, Montserrat, North Macedonia, Mauritius, Mexico, Malaysia, Montenegro, New Caledonia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Serbia, Singapore, Saint Helena, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Taiwan, United States of America (including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the British Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna.
Due to the conditions that must be met, dogs, cats and ferrets younger than 16 weeks may not be imported. (Rabies vaccination must be administered after the 12th week of life and 21 days must have elapsed before the vaccination becomes valid). As the conditions are fully harmonised, there is no possibility of obtaining a national authorisation for younger animals.
Control
The border veterinary import control into the EU takes place at the first border inspection post approved for this type of animal. The veterinary certificates must be issued in the official language of the member state in which the veterinary border control takes place and in the official language of the member state of destination.
The border veterinarian also checks whether the conditions for the protection of animals during transport are complied with. These conditions are laid down in Regulation(EC) No. 1/2005. Please note the registration conditions for the transport vehicles.
The planned border crossing of the animals must be announced to the border veterinarian of the border inspection post concerned at least one working day in advance by means of GGED-A(Common Health Entry Document).
Information on how to carry out the border veterinary inspection can also be found at the Internet address:
https://www.bavg.gv.at/einfuhr-import/allgemeine-informationen
The importer must immediately inform the locally competent official veterinarian of the arrival of the animals at the place of destination.
Important Internet addresses:
- List of Austrian border inspection posts and Common Health Entry Document (GGED)
- List of EU approved laboratories for serological rabies testing
Please note that there may also be import restrictions and import bans due to other EU and national regulations such as financial law (e.g. customs).
Information on customs law is available from the Federal Ministry of Finance on the homepage: https://www.bmf.gv.at/ under customs.
Important
For a successful import at the border veterinary control at the EU external border, the following points must be observed in particular:
- Presentation of an official veterinary certificate according to the specimen
- Valid rabies vaccination
- The animals must be clearly marked (e.g. microchip)
- Import is only allowed from those third countries, from which the import is allowed according to Annex VIII Part 1 of Regulation(EU) 2021/404, corrected by Regulation(EU) 2021/1727.
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For certain countries, a serological rabies test is also required; animals from these non-EU countries, if they meet all conditions, are thus always at least 7 months old.
Import of live birds not in tourist traffic into the European Union
The provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and Regulation (EU) 2020/692 apply to the import of captive birds (birds not covered under poultry, including those kept for shows, races, exhibitions, tournament fights, for breeding or for sale).
Animals for approved species protection programs and animal experiments are not regulated uniformly across the EU. For such imports, if they are destined for Austria, a veterinary authorization by the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection is required.
Birds from Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican City State may be brought into the European Union under the conditions for intra-Community trade.
Import conditions
The following points for the import of birds must be fulfilled according to Regulation(EU) 2020/692:
- Birds may only be imported from third countries approved by the EU and the birds must have been bred in captivity.
- The bird breeding establishments must have been approved by the third country. The information about the list of breeding farms can be found on the homepage of the EU.
- The birds must have been tested forAI (Avian Influenza) and NCD(Newcastle Disease) with negative results 7 to 14 days prior to shipment.
- Birds must not have been vaccinated against AI (avian influenza).
- Birds were uniquely identified individually by a seamlessly sealed leg ring or microchip, and this identification was recorded on the certificate.
- The birds are transported in new containers that have an identification number on the outside, which is entered in the certificate.
- A veterinary certificate conforming to the model (CAPTIVE-BIRDS) in Chapter 34 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2021/403 is presented at the border veterinary inspection.
- Countries from which imports of captive birds are allowed are listed in Annex VI of Regulation(EU) 2021/404.
- The importer or the person authorized to dispose of the birds must provide the border veterinarian with a written confirmation from the person responsible for the quarantine facility that the birds will be admitted for quarantine. This confirmation must include the approval number and the name and address of the quarantine facility.
Control
Live birds are subject to border veterinary inspection.
The border veterinary import control into the EU takes place at the first border inspection post approved for this species (e.g. Vienna Schwechat, Hamburg, Amsterdam, etc.).
The veterinary certificates must be issued in an official language of the Member State in which the veterinary border inspection takes place and in the official language of the Member State of destination.
The planned border crossing of the consignment must be announced to the border veterinarian of the border inspection post concerned one working day in advance (at the Austrian border at least 18 hours) using the GGED-A(Common Health Entry Document).
The border veterinarian also checks compliance with the conditions for the protection of animals during transport. These conditions are laid down in Regulation(EC) No. 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations.
Quarantine
After being cleared by the border veterinarian, the birds must be immediately taken to the approved quarantine facility or quarantine station to which they were cleared, within a maximum of 9 hours.
The competent official veterinarian must be notified in writing of the arrival of the birds at the place of destination (approved quarantine facility or quarantine station) within one working day.
The birds must be quarantined for at least 30 days.
At least at the beginning and before the end of quarantine, the official veterinarian shall inspect the quarantine conditions in addition to ongoing monitoring. During quarantine, the prescribed examinations, including sampling and testing procedures, shall be performed.
If even one bird is confirmed to be suspected of AI and NCD or if there is an outbreak of the disease, all birds shall be culled and disposed of in a disease-proof manner.
Note on poultry
Under Regulation (EU) 2016/429, poultry is defined as birds reared or kept in captivity for the following purposes:
- the production of meat, table eggs and other products;
- restocking of game populations;
- the rearing of birds for the production of meat, table eggs and other products, as well as for the restocking of game populations.
In principle, the import conditions are governed by Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and Regulation (EU) 2020/692.
The veterinary certificate is set out in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2021/403, depending on the intended use.
Countries from which the import of poultry is permitted are listed in Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/404.
Please note that import restrictions and bans may also apply under other EU and national legislation, such as financial regulations (e.g. customs) or species protection regulations (CITES).
Information on customs law is available from the Federal Ministry of Finance on its website: https://www.bmf.gv.at/ under ‘Customs’.
Information on species protection regulations can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management under: CITES in Austria – Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management
Import of aquatic animals into Austria
Definitions
According to Regulation(EU) 2016/429, aquatic animal means the following species in all stages of development, including eggs, sperm and gametes:
- Fish of the superclass Agnatha and of the classes Chondrichthyes and Sarcopterygii and Actinopterygii; or
- aquatic molluscs of the phylum Mollusca, or
- aquatic crustaceans of the subtribe Crustacea.
Aquaculture animal: any aquatic animal kept in aquaculture.
Aquaculture means the keeping of aquatic animals where the animals remain the property of a natural or legal person throughout the rearing or husbandry process, including harvesting, except for the harvesting or capture of wild aquatic animals that are subsequently held temporarily without feeding until slaughter, for human consumption.
Control
Live fish, molluscs, crustaceans as well as their eggs, seeds and gametes are subject to border veterinary inspection.
The border veterinary import control into the EU takes place at the first border inspection post approved for this species (e.g. Vienna Schwechat, Hamburg, Amsterdam, etc.).
The veterinary certificates must be issued in an official language of the Member State in which the veterinary border inspection takes place and in the official language of the Member State of destination.
The planned border crossing of the consignment must be announced to the border veterinarian of the border inspection post concerned one working day in advance (at least 18 hours at the Austrian border) using the Common Health Entry Document (GGED-A).
The responsible official veterinarian must be informed of the arrival of the animals at the place of destination.
The border veterinarian also checks compliance with the conditions for the protection of animals during transport. These conditions are laid down in Regulation(EC) No. 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations. In addition, checks are carried out to ensure that consignments are packaged and labeled in accordance with Regulation(EC) No. 853/2004.
(1) Live aquatic animals for certain aquaculture operations, for release into open waters, or for other purposes.
The import requirements are laid down in Regulation(EU) 2020/692.
A separate certificate must be issued for each species, molluscs (CN code 0307), crustaceans (CN code 0306) or fish (CN code 0301 10).
The health certificate for the entry into the Union of aquatic animals intended for certain aquaculture production businesses, for release into open waters or for purposes other than direct human consumption must conform to the model AQUA-ENTRY-ESTAB/RELEASE/OTHER drawn up in accordance with the model set out in Annex II to Regulation(EU) 2020/2236, as last amended by Regulation (EU) 2021/1471.
This veterinary certificate shall be completed in accordance with the explanatory notes on completion of certificates set out in Chapter 4 of Annex I to Commission Implementing Regulation(EU) 2020/2235.
Consignments of live aquatic animals of listed species may only be imported from third countries listed in Section A of Part 1 of Annex XXI to Regulation(EU) 2021/404, as amended by Regulation(EU) 2021/1937.
The list of third countries or territories from which the receipt of consignments of molluscs and crustaceans of listed species intended for ornamental closed systems
is laid down in Annex XXI, Part 1, Section B of Regulation(EU) 2021/404, as amended by Regulation(EU) 2021/1937.
2. Live fish for immediate consumption
Live fish intended for immediate consumption are considered to be fishery products.
The veterinary/official certificate to be used for live fish, live crustaceans and products derived from these animals intended for human consumption must comply with the model FISH-CRUST-HC, which was drawn up in accordance with the model set out in Chapter 28 of Annex III to Regulation (EU) 2020/2235, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2021/1471.
The veterinary/official certificate to be used for live bivalves, echinoderms, tunicates, marine snails and products derived from these animals intended for human consumption must comply with the model MOL-HC, which was drawn up in accordance with the model set out in Chapter 31 of Annex III to Regulation (EU) 2020/2235, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2021/1471.
Consignments of fishery products intended for human consumption must originate from third countries listed in Annex IX to Regulation (EU) 2021/405, as amended. Furthermore, farmed fish may only be imported from third countries that have an EU-approved residue monitoring plan (Decision 2011/163/EU, as last amended by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/2315).
The establishments from which fishery products may be imported can be found at the following web address: http://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/international_affairs/trade/non-eu-countries/index_en.htm.
Separate conditions may apply to third countries that have an agreement with the EU, such as New Zealand, Canada or the USA.
Please note that import restrictions and import bans may also apply under other EU and national regulations, such as financial regulations (e.g. customs) or species protection regulations (CITES).
Information on customs law is available from the Federal Ministry of Finance on its website: https://www.bmf.gv.at/ under ‘Customs’.
Information on species protection regulations can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management under: CITES in Austria – Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management
Attention: Import ban!
Due to phytosanitary measures, the import of certain snail species (genus Pomacea) is currently prohibited!
- Measures to protect against the introduction of the genus Pomacea BdK 2012/697/EU.
- Information of the plant protection department of AGES