The certificates required for exports of animals and animal products (not including food) to the EU are issued by the cantonal enforcement authorities. The latter also answer questions regarding exports to the EU.
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New EU Animal Health Law
Please note that these animal health regulations changed on April 21, 2021. More information is available in German or French:
From October 18, 2021, the new health certificates for movements of animals and germinal products (semen, oocytes and embryos) must be issued in TRACES New Technology NT. Swiss operators must therefore be registered in TRACES NT (in French) by the competent cantonal veterinary office.
There is an Agreement between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) on trade in agricultural products. For this reason, Swiss legislation on animals and animal products generally corresponds to that of the EU. This facilitates the export of animals, animal products and other agricultural products into the EU. It is the exporter’s responsibility to check the exact requirements with the authorities of the country of destination (and of transit countries) and to report them to the competent cantonal authorities. This enables the latter to draw up the necessary health certificates or permits.
Export of animals
Anyone wishing to export animals must note the following:
- Travel is stressful for animals. Transportation should therefore be as humane as possible and comply with all statutory requirements
- Where appropriate, the conditions for (re-)import into Switzerland should be observed before departure (see Travelling with pets for private individuals or Import)
- Commercial cross-border transportation of vertebrates by land requires a permit from the cantonal veterinary office (see "More information > Contact")
- For transport by air, the provisions of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) must be followed
- For some species, the veterinary regulations for “international movements” are laid down in the bilateral agreement; other species are subject to “national regulations”. In cases of doubt, the requirements that actually apply must be clarified in advance with the competent authority in the country of destination
- The cantonal veterinary office issues the necessary health certificates and reports the sending of the animals to the competent veterinary authority of the country of destination via the electronic TRACES system (in French). Questions in this regard are answered by the official veterinarian or the official veterinary office
- Exports of protected animal species require an export permit from the FSVO (see Export of animals and animal products)
Export of animal products
Examples of animal products are animal semen, ova and embryos, and animal by-products.
Animal by-products according to Ordinance on Animal By-products
Exports of animal by-products require an operating licence from the cantonal veterinary office based on the Ordinance on Animal By-products (VTNP). The FSVO publishes the list of approved establishments (see "More information").
Exports of most animal by-products in category 3 (see Disposal of animal by-products) to the EU require only a commercial document in the prescribed form (see "More information > Commercial document for animal by-products EC 142/2011").
By-products and derivatives in categories 1 and 2 and processed animal protein (“meals” in category 3) require a TRACES notification and prior authorisation from the EU country of destination (Article 48 of Regulation EC 1069/2009). The TRACES notification is produced by the cantonal veterinary service.
Exports of certain animal by-products require a permit from the FSVO (see "More information > In detail > Export application for animal by-products").
Animal semen, ova and embryos
There are harmonized rules for “germinal products” of many animal species. In those cases, the conditions governing exports to the EU are the same as for imports. In all other cases, the national import requirements must be clarified in advance with the competent authority in the country of destination.
Export of protected animals and animal products
Exports of protected animals and animal products require an export permit from the FSVO (see Export of animals and animal products.
More information
Last modification 08.11.2021
