GovWire

Exporting or moving equines from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland

To export or move horses and other equines from Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) to the EU or Northern Ireland, you need to contact:

• your official vet to book an appointment so you can get blood tests taken in time an official vet works in a private practice and on behalf of the government
• an agent or transporter and tell them when you plan to travel you may need more time to plan travel through an EU border control post (BCP)

Find the contact details of BCPs in the EU.

You also need to:

• apply for an export health certificate (EHC)
• get equines tested for certain diseases
• meet isolation and residency requirements
• check you have the right equine identification (ID)
• be aware of EU border rules
• check that the person transporting the animals has the correct documentation
• check if you need an export welfare declaration
• get a county parish holding (CPH) number

Apply for an export health certificate (EHC)

You need to complete an EHC and some supporting documents to export or move a live animal from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland.

The EHC is an official document that confirms your export meets the health requirements of the destination country.

Youll need to use EHC:

• 8431 to export or move equines that are not intended for slaughter from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland
• 8432 to export or move equines that are not intended for slaughter from Great Britain to a non-EU country (transiting the EU or Northern Ireland)
• 8433 to export or move equines from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland after temporary import to Great Britain for less than 30 days to participate in racing, competition or cultural events
• 8434 to export or move equines from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland after temporary import to Great Britain for less than 90 days to participate in an event organised by the Fdration questre Internationale (FEI)

Movement Assistance Scheme

If youre moving equines to Northern Ireland, you do not need to pay for them to be inspected and certified. The certifier invoices the government for these costs as part of the Movement Assistance Scheme.

Tests for equines before export

You must get your equines tested to prove theyre free of certain diseases.

You need to get your equine tested for equine infectious anaemia within 90 days of travel if the animal is both:

• going to remain in the EU or Northern Ireland for less than 90 days
• registered with either a national branch of an international body for sporting and competition purposes, or an EU-recognised UK studbook

For permanent and all other temporary exports and movements, you need to get your equines tested for equine infectious anaemia within 30 days of travel.

If youre using EHC 8431 or 8432 you need to get your equines tested for equine infectious anaemia within 90 days of travel.

Isolation and residency requirements

Registered horses belong to either:

• an EU-recognised studbook
• a national branch of an international racing or competition organisation

All other horses are classified as unregistered.

Before you export or move a registered horse to the EU or Northern Ireland, you need to keep it on a holding in Great Britain, the EU, Northern Ireland or a country with a similar health status either:

• for 40 days
• since birth (if the horse is less than 40 days old)
• since its entry into Great Britain (if the horse was imported or moved directly from the EU, Northern Ireland or a country with a similar health status less than 40 days before you export it)

You must keep your registered horse under veterinary supervision either:

• for 30 days
• since birth (if the horse is less than 30 days old)
• since its entry into Great Britain (if the horse was imported or moved directly from the EU, Northern Ireland or country of similar health status less than 30 days before you export it)

Your supervising vet does not need to be an official vet. However, an official vet must confirm that you have met these requirements before you export the equine.

Before you export or move an unregistered horse or other equine, you must keep the animal on a holding in Great Britain either:

• for 40 days
• since birth (if the equine is younger than 40 days old)
• since its entry into Great Britain (if the equine was imported or moved directly from the EU, Northern Ireland or Norway)

Before you export or move your equine into the EU or Northern Ireland, you must keep it separate from other equines either:

• for at least 30 days (unless you have a foal thats at foot with their dam or foster mare)
• since birth (if the equine is younger than 30 days old)
• since its entry into Great Britain (if the equine was imported or moved directly from the EU, Northern Ireland or Norway)

Check you have the right equine identification

You can use the horse passport (industry-issued equine identification (ID)) to export or move equines registered with one of the following:

• an EU-recognised studbook
• a national branch of an international racing or competition organisation

To export or move all other equines, you need a government-issued supplementary travel ID from:

• Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) if youre in Great Britain this is sent to your official vet along with the EHC
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