Statutory guidance

General licence for the movement of hatching eggs from a premises in a protection zone or surveillance zone to a designated premises for use for scientific, diagnostic or pharmaceutical purposes (EXD539(HPAI)(GB))

Updated 14 December 2022

This statutory guidance was withdrawn on 8 November 2024

This general licence is out of date and has been archived. Read our guidance on bird flu movement licences.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

This licence permits, subject to compliance with relevant law and the conditions set out in this licence, the movement of hatching eggs from premises within a protection zone or surveillance zone to a designated premises for use for scientific, diagnostic or pharmaceutical purposes.

This licence is valid from 10am on 12 December 2022 and revokes and replaces the EXD539(HPAI)(GB) licence that came into force at 11am on 3 March 2022.

This licence has been issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Scottish Government and Welsh Government and it applies to England, Scotland and Wales.

Signed:

David Harris Veterinary Inspector

Date: 12 December 2022 Time: 10am

Veterinary Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State, Scottish Ministers and Welsh Ministers.

If the activity that you wish to undertake is not covered by this licence, or if you are unable to comply with any of the terms and conditions which apply to the use of this licence, then you will need to apply for a specific licence.

Legislation

This licence is made under the powers contained in the Animal Health Act 1981 (as amended) and “the Order” which means:

• The Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (England) (No.2) Order 2006 (as amended)
• The Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (Scotland) Order 2006 (as amended)
• The Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (Wales) (No. 2) Order 2006 (as amended)

This general licence is issued in accordance with:

• articles 30, 31 and Schedules 4 and 5 of the Order in England and Wales
• articles 28, 29 and Schedules 4 and 5 of the Order in Scotland

Conditions of the licence

1) Hatching eggs must be moved directly from the premises in the protection zone or surveillance zone to the destination premises for testing or investigation.

2) This licence does not apply for movements to or from any premises which has been served a restriction notice by a veterinary inspector.

3) A movement for the purpose of testing for any notifiable avian disease is not permitted under this licence.

4) Hatching eggs may be moved from the protection zone or surveillance zone under this licence provided that all poultry at the source premises have been inspected by an official veterinarian within 24 hours of the proposed move and show no clinical signs that could be associated with avian influenza.

5) On premises where ducks or geese are present, the ducks and geese must undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for avian influenza, with negative results. Arrangements must be made with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for samples to be taken no more than 48 hours prior to intended departure time from the source premises (oropharyngeal swabs, a minimum of 60 per epidemiological group) and tested, with results of the tests reported by email to: outbreak.licensing@apha.gov.uk

6) When moving hatching eggs under this licence, without prejudice to any other record keeping requirement that may be in effect, records of mortality, feed intake, water intake and egg production for the previous five days before movement must be kept in respect of all poultry at the source premises by the owner of the premises and examined by the official veterinarian inspecting the poultry in point 7.

7) Immediately following veterinary inspection, the official veterinarian (OV) must notify APHA confirming the inspection has been carried out at the source premises. The notification should include the name and address of the premises, and the date and results of the inspection and made by email to: outbreak.licensing@apha.gov.uk

8) Immediately prior to movement of hatching eggs made under the authority of this licence the licensee must inspect the poultry on the source premises to check that they show no clinical signs that could be associated with avian influenza.

9) The receiving premises must be informed of the movement before the hatching eggs are sent and the licensee must:

• inform the receiving laboratory or veterinary surgery that the samples are from an avian influenza protection zone or surveillance zone (as appropriate)
• ensure the receiving premises is aware of the conditions of this licence and has agreed to accept the samples

10) The outer packaging and sample submission form must be labelled to indicate the premises of origin and clearly state that these premises are within an avian influenza protection or surveillance zone (as appropriate).

11) All samples must be packed in accordance with the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (as amended) and The European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) (see explanatory note 1, below, for a link to more information).

12) ADR is to meet UN3373 – P650 packaging requirements. Each package should be marked with “BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCE CATEGORY B”. This must be in at least 6mm high letters and placed adjacent to the diamond UN3373 label (see explanatory note 1, below, for a link to more information).

13) All such samples must be sent via recorded delivery, courier, or delivered directly to the approved laboratory.

14) The vehicle used to transport hatching eggs must be leak proof, covered and carry a spill kit in case of any spillage on to the road.

15) If moving hatching eggs from the protection zone, the vehicle transporting those eggs must be sealed in accordance with a veterinary inspector’s instructions.

16) Before the hatching eggs are moved from the specified premises:

• the exterior of the vehicle must be free of any visible contamination with mud, slurry, animal faeces, excretions or any other similar matter
• the vehicle’s wheels and wheel arches must be cleansed and disinfected after loading and before leaving the premises. The cleansing and disinfection must take place at a point beyond which no contamination with poultry feathers, faeces, litter, eggshell or any similar matter can take place
• the eggs must be disinfected
• the eggs must be packed either in new disposable packing containers or in packing containers which have been effectively cleansed and disinfected and marked as such by the operator carrying out the cleansing and disinfection. Trolleys and any other equipment must also have been effectively cleansed and disinfected

17) After unloading the hatching eggs at the destination premises:

• the parts of the vehicle used to transport anything which might be contaminated with mud, slurry, animal faeces, excretions, feathers or any other similar matter must be cleansed and disinfected on site (before it is used again)
• the exterior of the vehicle must be free of any visible contamination with mud, slurry, animal faeces, excretions or any other similar matter
• the packaging (containers, trolleys and any other equipment) must be effectively cleansed and disinfected before reuse or must be destroyed

18) The vehicle’s wheels and wheel arches must be cleansed and disinfected after unloading and before leaving the hatchery premises.

19) All persons who seek to rely on this general licence must:

• not enter or leave any poultry or captive bird premises wearing clothing or footwear which is visibly soiled with mud, poultry or bird faeces or any similar matter
• cleanse and disinfect their footwear before entering or leaving any premises or place where poultry or captive birds were present
• remove any disposable clothing before leaving a poultry or captive bird premises and does not reuse it at further premises
• ensure non disposable clothing is clean and free of all visible contamination before leaving a poultry or captive bird premises
• take all other reasonable precautions to avoid transferring mud, slurry, animal faeces, excretions, feathers or any other similar matter between poultry and captive bird premises

20) After the handling of the samples, the part of the room and any equipment used in the handling of such samples or carcases must be cleansed and disinfected.

21) Cleansing and disinfection must be in accordance with:

• article 66 of the Order in England and Wales
• article 65 of the Order in Scotland

22) Shells and other parts of eggs which originate from farms located in the current surveillance or protection zone must be disposed of to an approved animal by-products (ABP) rendering plant as a Category 1 or Category 2 animal by-products as required by the relevant animal by-products legislation. Where they will be heat treated to destroy any avian influenza virus which may be present. Eggshell that has not been heat treated must not be:

• applied directly to land used to feed animals
• used in any products that are fed to animals

Explanatory notes

1) For more information relevant to Conditions 5 and 6, above, see our Transporting Dangerous Goods guidance.

2) Other captive birds, according to the Order, are defined as birds kept in captivity which are not poultry and includes pet birds and birds kept for shows, races, exhibitions, competitions, breeding or for sale.

3) This licence ceases to be valid if the disease status changes (for example, new or revised restrictions) at either the premises from which the move is to take place or at the premises of destination.

4) A record of the movement Including the registration of any vehicle used must be made by the occupier of the source premises as soon as is reasonably practicable after the movement and retained for at least six weeks after the movement is completed, as required by Article 74 of the Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (England) (No.2) Order 2006 (as amended) in England, or Article 74 of the Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (Wales) (No.2) Order 2006 (as amended) in Wales. A record of movement from premises in Scotland under this licence must be made by any person moving poultry under this licence of the following information:

• what is moved, including its quantity
• the date of the movement
• the name of the consignor
• the address of the premises from which the movement started
• the registration number of any vehicle used
• the name of the consignee
• the address of the destination

5) When moving anything under the authority of this licence, a person must carry a consignment note. The consignment note must include:

• the quantity of poultry carcases being moved
• the date of the movement
• the name of the consignor
• the address of the premises from which the carcases have been moved
• the registration of the collecting vehicle
• the name of the consignee
• the address of the disposal premises

6) A person moving hatching eggs under the authority of this licence must, if asked to do so by an inspector, or other officer of the Secretary of State or Scottish Ministers or Welsh Ministers, give their name and address, produce the consignment note and allow copies or an extract to be taken.

7) All bird keepers must keep a close watch on their birds for signs of disease and maintain good biosecurity at all times. If you have any concerns about the health of your birds, seek prompt advice from your vet.

8) For further details of legislation covering avian influenza in:

• England – see our bird flu guidance
• Scotland - see the Scottish Government website
• Wales - see the Welsh Government website

Failure to observe the measures required in this licence is an offence under Section 73 of the Animal Health Act 1981. The penalty on conviction of an offence under this section is a maximum of six months imprisonment or a fine not exceeding Level 5 on the standard scale or both.

Contact us

If you have any queries regarding this general licence, please contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Please include your name, full address and telephone number so we can ensure your enquiry is routed to the correct area expert.