Live animals and animal products

Veterinary checks are carried out at EU border inspection posts with the view to assure that live animals and animal products entering the EU comply with the safety conditions and other conditions prescribed upon import. The movement of certain plant products (hay and straw) is also monitored due to the fact that these products can transmit contagious diseases. Consequently, consignments containing such products are subject to controls already upon their entry into the EU at the so-called border inspection posts.

Consignments of live animals and animal products entering the Community from third countries are subject to checks performed according to the requirements laid down in Council Directive 91/496/EEC laying down the principles governing the organization of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425 /EEC and 90/675/EEC laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries. “Veterinary check” means verification of the documents accompanying a product, but it can also mean verification of consistency between the documents and the goods and performance of a physical check including sampling and laboratory testing. A list of animals and products subject to veterinary checks at border inspections posts according to the mentioned directives is in Commission Decision 2007/275/EC.

After checking a consignment, the official veterinarian issues a certificate regarding the performed check using a document referred to as a common veterinary entry document (CVED). A CVED for animals and a CVED for products must be drawn up in accordance with the models set out in Commission Regulation (EC) No 282/2004 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 136/2004.

Official veterinarians of the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food Safety, Veterinary and Plant Protection are competent for the performance of veterinary checks in Slovenia on consignments of live animals and animal products entering the EU. Checks can be carried at border control points at Ljubljana-Brnik Airport and in the Port of Koper. Customs authorities can release from border points consignments which are subject to compulsory veterinary checks only after checks have been performed on the basis of the issued CVED.

Controls of non-commercial movements of pet animals from third countries and import of personal consignments of animal products in passenger and postal traffic are performed by customs authorities.