Guidance

Import animal pathogens or carriers to Great Britain

The licences you must have to import animal pathogens or carriers to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency
• Published: 2 February 2015
• Last updated: 26 March 2021 — See all updates

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

• Guidance for Northern Ireland

You must follow different rules to import animal pathogens listed in the Specified Animal Pathogens Order (SAPO).

An animal pathogen is either a:

• collection or culture of organisms that may cause disease in animals or poultry
• combined form or any derivative of a collection or culture of organisms

A carrier is:

• any non-human living creature that can carry or transmit an animal pathogen

• the tissue, cell culture, body fluid, faeces, carcass or by-product of any such creature, if it can carry or transmit pathogens

You do not need an import licence if you’re importing licensed medicinal products that contain animal pathogens or carriers.

Animals and poultry covered by this guidance

For the purposes of this guidance, animals are:

• cattle
• sheep
• goats and all other ruminants
• horses
• pigs

Poultry are:

• domestic fowl
• turkeys
• geese
• ducks
• guinea fowl
• pigeons
• pheasants
• partridges
• quail

Import animal pathogens and carriers from the EU: use a general import licence

You must meet the requirements of a general import licence to import animal pathogens and carriers to Great Britain (GB) from the EU.

The general licence has no expiry date.

Get a declaration from your exporter

You must get a written declaration from the exporter certifying that the material does not contain any animal pathogens listed in SAPO.

You can send your exporter a declaration template.

You must make sure the exporter’s declaration and the general licence travel with your consignment.

Import from a non-EU country: apply for an import licence

You must apply for an import licence to import animal pathogens or carriers into GB from a non-EU country.

If your import contains an animal by-product (ABP) that’s used as a carrier for a pathogen, you must list the ABP on your licence application. You do not need to apply for a separate licence for the ABP material.

You can:

• email the application form to imports@apha.gov.uk - include your electronic signature(s) on the form
• send your application form to the imports team at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Centre for International Trade Carlisle.

APHA will usually send you your import Iicence within 15 working days of receiving your application.

If APHA needs additional information from you, the 15 day clock will stop.

When you send them this information, the 15 day clock will restart.

Import licence conditions

If your licence is granted, the licence will state:

• how many consignments you can import
• how your supplier must prepare, treat and pack the pathogen or carrier for import
• how you must contain and handle it when it reaches GB
• how you must dispose of and store pathogens or carriers, if you do not export after use
• how long your licence is valid for

Moving imported material after it arrives

You may need a transfer licence to move imported material to another laboratory after it arrives in GB.

Your import licence will state whether you need a transfer licence - contact the body who issued it to get one.

What happens if you import animal pathogens or carriers without a licence

If you think an animal pathogen or carrier has been imported without a licence, you should report this to your nearest APHA office.

Published 2 February 2015
Last updated 26 March 2021 + show all updates

1. 26 March 2021

   Guidance updated to show latest rules for importing animal pathogens to Great Britain.

2. 2 February 2015

   First published.