Import of Animals and Animal Products

The Danish Chief Veterinary Officer has the overall responsibility for animal health in relation to imports of animals and animal products (food, semen/embryo and animal by-products). The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration play an important role in maintaining Denmark's defences against the introduction of serious livestock diseases.

Very few animals are imported. Animal products imported from Third Countries are subject to checks at the port or airport of entry into the EU. Imported consignments for intra-Community trade are subject to non-discriminatory random checks.

Introduction
All consignments imported from Third Countries are subject to checks at the port or airport of entry into the EU at an approved Border Inspection Post (BIP). Both imports from EU Member States and Third Countries are only allowed, if they are in accordance with the EU legislation, accompanied by appropriate health certificates and fulfill the sanitary requirements.

If an outbreak of a transmissible animal disease occurs in a EU Member State or a Third Country, the import of animals and animal products of susceptible species from that country will immediately be banned.

Border Inspection Post (BIP)
BIP's must have facilities meeting the requirements of the EU legislation and may only operate after satisfactory inspection by the European Commission. There are three BIP's approved to inspect live animals and 9 BIP's approved to inspect animal products in Denmark.

Import of animals
The number of imported cloven-hoofed animals is relatively low.

Be aware, that If you import cattle into Denmark, you must take and submit samples from the holding every month for infectious bovine rinotracheitis/infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IBR/IPV) for six months and for 12 months for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) after the import. The samples must be submitted to an official laboratory.

Import of animal products from Non-EU countries
Council directive 97/78/EC sets out the requirements and procedure for veterinary checks of products of animal origin imported into the European Community from other countries. At the BIP's, the consignments are subjected to document checks, identity checks and in some instances physical checks. An approved certificate signed by an official veterinary officer must accompany the animal products. Consignments, that do not fulfil the conditions for import, are either returned or incinerated.

Intra-community trade of animal products
The Veterinary and Food Administration in the exporting country is responsible for food safety and animal health in the animal products exported to Denmark. The exporting Member State must have a file of registered or approved plants. The plants must be under current supervision of official authorities. Depending of the type of product, the exporter or the authorities will issue a trade document or a health certificate, which have to accompany the consignment to the final destination. For live animals and non-food animal products (semen, embryo), the export certificate must be entered into TRACES.  Denmark can conduct a random control of imported products, thus the importers are required to notify the Regional Veterinary and Food Control Authorities every time they are importing.