Information for breeders regarding new provisions in the animal breeding law for imports of breeding and breeding material from third countries.
after application of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 and the corresponding Implementing Regulation DVO (EU) 2017/717 from 01.11.2018
1. Import of semen from third countries: As of 01.11.2018, only animals from third country countries may be imported as breeding animals, if the EU Commission has established that the breeding center (the breed society in the third country) to which the animal was registered complies with the same requirements applicable to breed societies within the breed EU and the breeding center will carry out an appropriate breeding program for the breed. These requirements are set out in Article 35 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012. Breeding centers meeting the requirements will be published on a Commission list (https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/zootechnics/third_countries). The required zootechnical certificates are only recognized as such if they have been issued by these listed breeding sites.
1.1 Provisions for the breeder: All animals imported into the EU that do not comply with Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 may not be traded as breeding animals within the EU. Only for breeding animals imported into the Union which meet the requirements for importation into the EU, the standard rate of duty for purebred breeding animals pursuant to Regulation (EEC) 2658/87 applies.
1.2 Provisions for breed societies: Breed societies may enter a breeding animal from third country countries only in the main section of the stud book of the corresponding breed, if the following conditions are met:
- The breeding animal is registered in a studbook kept by a breeding center in the third country from which the animal comes.
- The breeding animal fulfills the characteristics of the breed, which are defined in the breeding program carried out by the breeders’ association.
- The breeding center in the third country in which the breeding animal is registered is listed in the list of breeding posts of the EU Commission.
- The breeding animal is accompanied by a zootechnical certificate issued by the breeding center in the third country keeping the studbook in which the breeding animal is registered and which complies with the requirements of DVO (EU) 2015/262 (equine passport).
2. Importation of germinal products (semen, ova, embryos) from third countries: Beginning 01.11.2018, only breeding material from third country countries may be imported into the EU if the breeding center (the breeding association in the third country) to which the donor animal (s) is or are registered satisfies the requirements of point 1. According to EU animal health legislation, breeding material from third country countries may only be imported into the EU if the breeding plant from which the breeding material originates is approved for the shipment of germinal products to the Union and published on a list of the EU Commission Breeding plants meeting the requirements will be published on a Commission list (https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/semen/equine_en). The required zootechnical certificates are only recognized as such if they have been issued by these listed breeding sites. A zootechnical certificate for germinal products may also be included, issued on the basis of the information provided by a listed breeding center on behalf of that breeding center by the semen collection center or embryo collection or production unit from which the breeding material originates, and the og. Requirements fulfilled. Other breeding material must not be traded as breeding material within the EU.
2.1 Provisions for the breeder: In cases where the donor stallion of introduced germinal products (semen, embryos) is not listed in the stallion distribution plan of the breed society in which his breeding animals are registered, it is recommended that the breeder informs the breeders’ association whether the use of the breeding material ( Semen, embryos) within the breeding program.
2.2 Provisions for breeding material holdings: The zootechnical certificates for breeding material accompanying the breeding material must correspond to the respective sample. The patterns for third country imports are set out in DVO (EU) 2017/717. Breeding material without appropriate zootechnical certificate may not be released for further use (insemination, embryo transfer) (misdemeanor). The breeding material company, which receives breeding material, is obliged to check whether the breeding material complies with the legal requirements.
2.3 Provisions for breed societies: Breeding animals produced from germinal products brought into the Union may be entered in the main section of the breeding book of a breed society only if they meet the following requirements:
- The breeding material comes from donor animals that are registered in a studbook kept by a breeding center in the third country from which the donor animals come.
- The breeding animal fulfills the characteristics of the breed, which are defined in the breeding program carried out by the breeders’ association.
- They were produced from germinal products that meet the conditions set by the breeders’ association as requirements for donor animals in their breeding program.
- The breeding center in the third country in whose stud book the donor animals of the breeding material are registered is listed on the list of breeding posts of the Commission. (https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/zootechnics/third_countries)
- The breeding material from which the breeding animals were produced was accompanied by a zootechnical certificate either from a listed breeding site keeping the studbook in which the donor animals of the breeding material are registered, or from an authorized semen collection center or embryo collection or production unit was issued and meets the legal requirements.
