Imports, transits, exports, and intra-Community shipments in accordance with animal health and food safety regulations; applying for a permit

You need a permit for the import, transit, and, in some cases, export and intra-Community movement of animals and animal products, as well as goods that may carry infectious agents.

This does not apply to animals and goods originating in a third country that are accompanied by a certificate and for which no authorization is required.

A permit may not be granted if there is a risk of spreading animal diseases.

Products and items that could be mistaken for food that do not comply with the laws in effect in Germany, except

• food intended exclusively for scientific purposes, trade fairs, exhibitions, or similar events,
• food samples and specimens in small quantities,

may not be brought into the country. Their transit requires customs supervision.

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The first point of contact is always the local veterinary office. All animals entering from third countries must pass through a veterinary border inspection post upon their first entry into an EU member state.

The application may be submitted informally in writing, by fax, or by email. If certificates based on specified templates must be included, the local veterinary office can provide information on this.

All notifications for shipments of animal origin from third countries must be submitted via TRACES NT. TRACES NT is a web-based application designed to improve the control and traceability of animal transports and shipments of animal products. TRACES NT is based on personalized user accounts. This means that every freight forwarding employee needs a user account (EU login) in TRACES NT if they wish to work in TRACES NT and create Common Health Entry Documents (CHEDs). If one does not already exist, a corresponding account must be created for the system.

Intra-Community movement refers to the movement of goods between member states of the European Union.

The movement of animals and goods from third countries is referred to as “import.” Third countries are countries that do not belong to the European Union.

“Transit” refers to imported shipments that are subsequently re-exported. Thus, they come from a third country and return to a third country.

Before any movement, import, or transit, it is important to clarify exactly which requirements must be met to prevent the animals or goods from being rejected at the border inspection post.

There are no deadlines to observe when submitting the application itself. However, when carrying out the transaction—such as the transport of animals—official notification requirements may apply on the part of partner veterinary authorities in other EU member states; the locally competent veterinary office can provide information on these requirements.

• The required documents vary depending on the specific case. Please contact the appropriate office.

Fees vary depending on the specific case and can differ significantly. If necessary, check with the relevant authority.