Q: Alex Mayer (S&D, UK) - Pet passports and requirements for non-EU laboratories (2017-05-12)

The EU’s pet passport scheme allows the free movement of dogs, cats and ferrets throughout Europe. The passport is also proof that the animal has been treated against certain diseases. If someone wants to bring their pet from outside the EU, it must be tested in an EU-approved laboratory. There is a risk that there are animals coming into EU Member States that may not have been tested properly, especially if they are bred for illegal sale in the EU. It is therefore important to keep a record of the animals tested, including the transponder numbers.

The pre-entry rabies antibody titration tests required for dogs, cats and ferrets entering the EU from a territory or a third country not listed in Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013 are performed in rabies serology laboratories approved in accordance with Council Decision 2000/258/EC.

1. Can the Commission clarify whether there are requirements for approved laboratories to keep information about the tested animals, and if so, under what timeframe?

2. Can the Commission clarify whether this information is accessible to veterinarians across the EU and whether it can be recovered just with the animal’s transponder number?

3. Does the Commission plan to introduce a database of transponder numbers with the dates of entry of the pets into the EU from third countries?

A: Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the Commission (2017-06-26)

1. The pre-entry rabies antibody titration test to verify the effectiveness of the anti-rabies vaccination is required for dogs, cats and ferrets of EU origin re-entering the Union after a travel in certain non-EU countries or for animals of those species coming from certain non-EU countries.

This test must be performed in a laboratory approved in accordance with Article 3 of Decision 2000/258/EC. Decision 2010/436/EU lays down the rules regarding the proficiency tests necessary to annually appraise those laboratories for the purpose of their approval. It does not provide for any recording obligation.

2. According to Regulation (EU) No 576/2013, owners of dogs, cats and ferrets entering the Union from non-EU countries must present their animals and accompanying movement documents to the border officials at designated travellers’ points of entry. Where a test report is required by legislation, it is therefore accessible to those border officials who may verify the report with the approved reporting laboratory. Some of the laboratories have set up a secure web access to provide information in relation to a queried transponder number.

3. The Commission has no reason to introduce a system for the recording of transponder numbers together with date of entry into the Union of dogs, cats and ferrets from non-EU countries.

According to Regulation (EU) No 576/2013, Member States’ competent authorities shall keep records of the total number of compliance checks that they have carried out and of instances of non-compliance revealed during those checks. That regulation does not provide for any details on the nature of the recorded data and the methods used for recording.