Health certificate for the transport of animals within the European Union or for the export to third countries
Last update
In order to comply with animal health and welfare requirements, to ensure traceability and avoid the transmission of infectious diseases, a health certificate is required for the transport of animals abroad.
The transport of animals between EU Member States follows a harmonised procedure and has to be declared in the TRACES.NT system.
The export of animals from Luxembourg to a third country must be in accordance with the requirements set by the country of destination.
Applications for health certificates for the transport of animals have to be submitted to the Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (Administration luxembourgeoise vétérinaire et alimentaire - ALVA).
Who is concerned
You must apply for a health certificate if you:
- have cattle, sheep, goats, pigs or poultry; and
- wish to transport these animals within the EU or export them to a third country.
If you wish to move a horse abroad, you must also apply for a health certificate except in the event of a veterinary emergency.
Pets (dogs, cats, ferrets) are only concerned in the case of commercial movements.
A commercial movement is any movement for the purpose of selling or transferring ownership of a pet animal. If there are more than 5 pets, even if the movement is not for a sale or a change of ownership, a health certificate must be drawn up. In the case of a commercial movement or export to a third country, please contact the Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA).
Prerequisites
Before applying for a health certificate, you must ensure that:
- animals of the following species: bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine, poultry and equine animals to be exported are properly identified and that the farm in question is registered with the Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA) in the SANITEL system;
- pet animals (dogs, cats, ferrets) are identified by an electronic chip and have a passport accompanying them on each journey;
- the establishment at destination is correctly registered in the TRACES.NT system.
Moreover, you must ensure that the driver holds a professional certificate of aptitude for the transport of animals. Transporters must hold an authorisation for short routes (type 1) or long routes (type 2). For long routes (more than 8 hours), the means of transport must also be approved by ALVA. In addition, for long routes, you must draw up a route plan in the TRACES.NT system, except where registered horses are concerned.
Preliminary steps
Before applying for a health certificate for an EU country, you must create an account in the TRACES.NT system, to be validated by ALVA. This account allows you to register your applications in the TRACES.NT system.
The European Commission has published a guide called TRACES Toolkit, which contains the user manuals for the TRACES.NT system, how-to videos and templates.
If you do not intend to request health certificates on a regular basis, you are not required to create an account in the TRACES.NT system and you can directly address your request to ALVA.
Deadlines
To ensure that your requests are dealt with as efficiently as possible, you must send your export request to ALVA at least one working day before the planned date of transport.
For long routes (more than 8 hours), you must submit the application for a health certificate at least 2 working days before departure.
The certificate for cattle, sheep, goats and pigs can be validated within 24 hours before the animals' departure.
The certificate for poultry can be validated within 5 days before the animals' departure.
The certificate for horses can be validated within 48 hours before the animals' departure. For registered horses with an FEI or FLSE licence, the health certificate may be valid for 30 days.
How to proceed
Submitting the application
Transport to another EU Member State
You must submit the application for a health certificate for the transport of animals to another EU Member State via the TRACES.NT system.
If you do not have access to or do not have an account in the TRACES.NT system, you must submit your certificate application for the animal species concerned to the Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA).
You must send the application to export@alva.etat.lu, depending on the type of animal:
- application for an export certificate or a certificate for the intra-Community movement of bovine animals (French, Pdf, 395 Kb);
- application for an export certificate or a certificate for the intra-Community movement of a horse (French, Pdf, 381 Kb);
- application for an export certificate or a certificate for the intra-Community movement of porcine animals (French, Pdf, 395 Kb);
- application for an export certificate or a certificate for the intra-Community movement of poultry (French, Pdf, 395 Kb); or
- application for an export certificate or a certificate for the intra-Community movement of ovine/caprine animals (French, Pdf, 391 Kb);
Please note that you must submit a duly completed application for each movement.
Transport to a third country
To transport animals to a third country (outside the EU), you must comply with the regulations laid down by the country of destination. It is essential to find out in advance about the specific health standards and requirements, which may vary from one country to another. The veterinary authorities of the destination country can provide the information required. You must submit your request to ALVA.
To obtain a health certificate for travel to a third country, please contact ALVA.
Conditions for granting
ALVA reviews the application in the light of the health requirements defined in accordance with the conditions laid down by the country of destination.
In accordance with the legislation in force, a clinical examination of each animal is carried out before departure to ensure that it is fit for transport, that there are no clinical signs of infectious disease and that the animals are correctly identified.
If the checks are satisfactory, the ALVA draws up the health certificate in the TRACES.NT system, which:
- includes all the required travel information; and
- serves as a means of communication with the authorities at the place of destination.
The health certificate is issued in paper or digital format. It must accompany the animal as it is being moved throughout the journey.
Conditions for refusal
The ALVA refuses to issue the certificate if the animal:
- does not meet the required health conditions; or
- is not fit for transport.
In this case, the animal cannot leave Luxembourg.
Online services and forms
Who to contact
Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA)
-
Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA)
- Address:
- 7, rue Thomas Edison L-1445 Strassen Luxembourg
- Email address:
- info@alva.etat.lu
Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA)
-
Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA)
- Address:
- 7, rue Thomas Edison L-1445 Strassen Luxembourg
- Email address:
- info@alva.etat.lu
Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA)
-
Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA)
- Address:
- 7, rue Thomas Edison L-1445 Strassen Luxembourg
- Email address:
- info@alva.etat.lu
Related procedures and links
Procedures
Links
Further information
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Animaux vivants
sur le portail Single Window for Logistics
-
Contrôles vétérinaires à l'import/export
sur le portail Single Window for Logistics
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Poste d'Inspection Frontalier (PIF)
sur le portail Single Window for Logistics
Legal references
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Règlement (CE) nº 1760/2000 du Parlement européen et du Conseil du 17 juillet 2000
établissant un système d'identification et d'enregistrement des bovins et concernant l'étiquetage de la viande bovine et des produits à base de viande bovine.
-
Règlement (CE) nº 1/2005 du Conseil du 22 décembre 2004
relatif à la protection des animaux pendant le transport et les opérations annexes et modifiant les directives 64/432/CEE et 93/119/CE et le règlement (CE) n° 1255/97
-
Règlement (UE) 2016/429 du Parlement Européen et du Conseil du 9 mars 2016
relatif aux maladies animales transmissibles et modifiant et abrogeant certains actes dans le domaine de la santé animale (« législation sur la santé animale »)
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Règlement délégué (UE) 2020/688 de la Commission du 17 décembre 2019 complétant le règlement (UE) 2016/429 du Parlement européen et du Conseil
en ce qui concerne les conditions de police sanitaire applicables aux mouvements d’animaux terrestres et d’œufs à couver dans l’Union.
-
Règlement d’exécution (UE) 2021/403 de la Commission du 24 mars 2021 portant modalités d’application des règlements (UE) 2016/429 et (UE) 2017/625 du Parlement européen et du Conseil
en ce qui concerne les modèles de certificat zoo sanitaire et les modèles de certificat zoo sanitaire/officiel pour l’entrée dans l’Union et les mouvements entre les États membres d’envois de certaines catégories d’animaux terrestres et de leurs produits germinaux, ainsi qu’en ce qui concerne la certification officielle relative à ces certificats
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Loi du 27 juin 2018
sur la protection des animaux
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Règlement grand-ducal du 30 avril 2004
concernant l'identification et l'enregistrement des porcelets et des porcs
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Règlement grand-ducal du 6 mai 2004
concernant l'identification et l'enregistrement des ovins et des caprins
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Règlement grand-ducal du 30 juillet 2007
fixant certaines modalités d'application du règlement (CE) n° 1/2005 du Conseil du 22 décembre 2004 relatif à la protection des animaux pendant le transport
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Règlement grand-ducal du 12 octobre 2018 modifiant le règlement grand-ducal du 30 mai 2018 relatif aux modalités d’application
du règlement (CE) n° 1760/2000 du Parlement européen et du Conseil du 17 juillet 2000 établissant un système d'identification et d'enregistrement des bovins et concernant l'étiquetage de la viande bovine et des produits à base de viande bovine, et abrogeant le règlement (CE) n° 820/97 du Conseil, tel que modifié ; et 2° du règlement (CE) n° 911/2004 de la Commission du 29 avril 2004 portant dispositions d'exécution du règlement (CE) n° 1760/2000 du Parlement européen et du Conseil en ce qui concerne les marques auriculaires, les passeports et les registres d'exploitation, tel que modifié.
