Importing horses to Finland from non-EU countries

Import and transit requirements for equidae

The permitted countries of origin are listed in Annex IV to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404

EU countries approved for import are divided into health groups with different quarantine, testing and vaccination requirements. The health classification groups are listed in column 5

The import conditions are based on the country of origin being free from African horse sickness and Venezuelan encephalomyelitis, glanders or dourine. In the case of vesicular stomatitis and equine viral arteritis, freedom from these diseases can be established at the holding of origin and by testing during isolation and vaccination before the start of isolation.

Equidae are divided into three categories for import

1) Registered equidae.

• Registered equidae must have an identification document issued by:
• For stud horses, a stud bookkeeper approved in the country of origin and recognised by the EU
• List of EU recognised stud bookkeepers on the Commission website at this link.
• For racehorses, the FEI
• Others, the competent authority in the country of origin

2) Equidae intended for slaughter, intended for transport to a slaughterhouse

3) Equidae intended for breeding and production, which are other equidae not defined as registered equidae or equidae intended for slaughter.

Identification document

The identification document must include the following:

i) a verbal description of the horse's colour and markings, which are depicted in a diagram.

ii) information on any microchip, branding, scars or other identification found on the horse, which can be used to verify that the document in question belongs to the horse in question. for a horse

iii) the following information: species (horse, donkey, zebra, etc.), sex, date and country of birth, verbal description (see point i), branding, etc., blood group or DNA if tested, name and address of the holder, date and place of issue of the identification document, and a completed identification chart

In addition, the horse must have a health certificate issued by the competent authority of the country of origin

Certificates

The horse or equine animal must have a health certificate issued by the official veterinarian of the country of origin

The health certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue and is valid for one border crossing. The horses must not have been in contact with horses suffering from contagious diseases during the 15 days preceding the date of dispatch.

The animal must be clinically examined and the certificate issued on the day of loading at the place of departure or, in the case of registered horses, on the previous working day. The animal must be accompanied by a written declaration signed by the owner or his representative (remaining part of the health certificate).

General animal health requirements for transport

• The operator responsible for the consignment of horses intended for the Union must ensure that the equidae concerned are transported in accordance with the following conditions:
• they are transported in a means of transport containing only equidae destined for the Union or, alternatively, accompanied by the health certificate required for transit;
• they are transported in a means of transport containing only equidae of the same health status as stated in the health certificate
• they are transported by road or rail or moved on foot only in a third country or part of the territory of a third country approved for at least one reason for entry for at least one category of equidae.
• The operator responsible for the consignment of horses intended for entry into the Union shall ensure that the following conditions are met
• the transport booths, containers, pens or air transport pens and the means of transport or the transport space in the means of transport in which the equidae are transported are cleaned and disinfected with a disinfectant officially recognised in the country of dispatch before loading the animals;
• the means of transport used for road or rail transport shall be designed, constructed and used in such a way that faeces, urine and feed cannot escape during the intended journey;
• measures to protect against vectors shall be taken in the event of the presence of any of the following diseases:

(i) African horse sickness or Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis in the third country of dispatch or transit;

(ii) one or more of the vector-borne diseases listed in Article 11(1), with the exception of equine wasting disease, and the equidae are not immune or vaccinated against the agent.

In the case of the diseases referred to in point (i), protection against vectors shall include measures such as netting of transport boxes, containers, pens or air transport pens, mechanical ventilation and keeping the transport area closed except during loading, unloading and care of the animals.

NOTE! Equines that have been administered thyreostats, stilbenes, stilbene derivatives, their salts and esters, 17-beta-estradiol and its ester-type derivatives, beta-agonists or other substances with estrogenic, androgenic or gestagenic effects may not be imported into Finland.

Notwithstanding the above, equines that have been administered the aforementioned drugs in the situations specified in this link may be imported from third countries if the import takes place after the withdrawal period of the drug administered to the animal has expired. However, equines that have been administered drugs containing altrenogest or beta-agonists may be imported from third countries before the withdrawal period has expired, if the medication is recorded in the identification document accompanying the equine animal.

Equidae that have been medicated with the substances listed in this link may only be imported into the Union from third countries if the identification document accompanying the equine animal contains a note stating that the animal has been medicated and that it is not intended for slaughter for human consumption.

Legislation

National Regulation 1054/2014 on the prohibition of certain medicinal substances for animals

More information

Commission website on imports of equidae