Animals, semen and embryos covered by Balai

Follow this guidance if you’re moving the following from 1 January 2021:

  • simian primates, monkeys and apes
  • prosimian primates, for example lemurs, bushbabies, lorises, aye ayes and tarsiers
  • ungulates (hooved animals) that aren’t farm animals, for example llamas, alpacas, antelopes, camels, wild pigs, tapirs, rhinos, giraffes, elephants, hippos
  • captive birds and poultry for exhibitions, shows, and contests which aren’t covered by poultry or bird legislation
  • honey bees
  • jackals, foxes, wolves, African wild dogs, hyaenas
  • bears, for example polar, black, brown, grizzly, pandas or giant pandas
  • raccoons, coatis, and other new world procyonids
  • otters, martens, polecats, badgers, skunks, wolverines
  • non-domestic cats like pumas, cheetahs, lions, tigers and leopards
  • bats, for example vampire bats, flying foxes, fruit bats, gliders
  • flying lemurs and flying squirrels
  • marsupials, for example, koalas, kangaroos, wombats or wallabies
  • possums, bandicoots, bilbys, quolls and Tasmanian devils
  • anteaters, sloths, armadillos
  • shrews, moles and hedgehogs
  • rabbits and hares
  • rodents, for example, gophers, squirrels, mice, rats, hamsters, voles, beavers, gerbils
  • more than 5 pets per traveller in your party – or any pets that can’t be joined by their owner within 5 days
  • dogs, cats and ferrets that are being rehomed or don’t meet pet travel rules
  • semen or embryos that aren’t bovine or porcine.

To move other animals that are not for research, display or conservation

You’ll need to follow separate guidance:

Talk to your vet if you’re not sure which rules apply to the animals you want to move.

Importing and exporting Balai animals, semen and embryos from 1 January 2021

Rules for moving these to and from EU countries will change.

Importing to the UK from the EU

You can continue to bring Balai animals into the UK from EU countries from 1 January 2021.

But the process for notifying the UK authorities about these imports will change and your vet will no longer be able to use TRACES.

Follow the guidance for what you’ll need to do to import animals and animal products into the UK from 1 January 2021.

Exporting from the UK to the EU

From 1 January 2021, you’ll need to check the export health certificate (EHC) finder to see if a certificate exists for your Balai animal or product.

If you find an EHC, follow the EHC process to export.

In many cases, there are no EHCs to export Balai animals or animal products to the EU.

If you cannot find an EHC, contact the competent authority in the EU country you’re exporting to, in advance, to find out what:

  • paperwork you’ll need to fill in
  • rules you need to comply with

The competent authority means the equivalent of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in the EU country you’re exporting to.

If the competent authority says that you need an EHC, you’ll need to get their import conditions. Email the conditions to APHA at exports@apha.gov.uk who’ll arrange an EHC for you.

Plan your trade route so that your consignment can be inspected at a border control post that can accept your type of goods.

Export to a non-EU country via the EU

From 1 January 2021, you would need to contact any EU countries you’ll transit, to check if you need an EHC to travel through that country.

If the competent authority in an EU country says that you need an EHC to transit, you’ll need to get their import conditions.

Email the conditions to APHA at exports@apha.gov.uk who’ll arrange an EHC for you.

Balai approved or registered premises

The UK will continue the current system of registering and approving holdings in the UK.

But it’s likely that the EU will no longer recognise UK Balai-approved or registered premises.

You’ll need to contact the competent authority of the EU country you’re exporting to, to find out what their import conditions are.

Published 28 January 2020
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