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EU animal health legislation
“General” legislation
The new “Animal Health Law”: Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of 9 March 2016 collates multiple legislations on animal diseases which will apply as from 21 April 2021.
For more information on the new “Animal Health Law”, go to the specific webpage of DG SANTE.
Directive 82/894/EEC of 21 December 1982 on the notification of animal diseases within the Community, contains a list of all notifiable animal diseases within the EU.
Legislation per animal species
Directive 64/432/EEC on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine.
Directive 91/68/EEC of 28 January 1991 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in ovine and caprine animals.
Directive 2009/156/EC of 30 November 2009 on animal health conditions governing the movement and importation from third countries of equidae.
Directive 2009/158/EC of 30 November 2009 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in and imports from third countries of poultry and hatching eggs.
Directive 2006/88/EC of 24 October 2006 on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and products thereof, and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in aquatic animals.
Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A (I) to Directive 90/425/EEC.
For more information on the European legislation on the above mentioned animals species and other live animals, go to the specific webpage of DG SANTE.
Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on the non-commercial movement of pet animals.
For more information on the cross-border movement of pet animals into Member States, go to the specific webpage of DG SANTE.
Legislation regarding semen, ova and embryos
Council Directive 88/407/EEC of 14 June 1988 laying down the animal health requirements applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of deep-frozen semen of domestic animals of the bovine species.
Commission Decision 2006/168/EC of 4 January 2006 establishing the animal health and veterinary certification requirements for imports into the Community of bovine embryos.
Council Directive 90/429/EEC of 26 June 1990 laying down the animal health requirements applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of semen of domestic animals of the porcine species.
Council Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A (I) to Directive 90/425/EEC, contains amongst other things the health requirements regarding semen, ova and embryos of domestic animals of the equine, ovine and caprine species.
Belgian animal health legislation
“General” legislation
The Belgian animal health legislation is in line with OIE resolutions, recommendations and requirements, and with EU legislation (Regulations, Directives and Decisions).
The basic legal framework is covered by the Animal Health Law of 24 March 1987 and the Royal Decree of 3 February 2014 containing the list of notifiable diseases in Belgium.
The legislation deals with:
- Mandatory notification
- Identification and traceability
- Official surveillance of a suspected/infected holding
- Regular veterinary checks and inspections
- Sampling for diagnostic testing
- Epidemiological inquiries
- Disease control and biosecurity measures
- Test and slaughter strategy, emergency slaughter strategy
- Stamping-out
- Regionalisation/delimitation of a restricted zone (protection zone of 3 km, surveillance zone of 10 km)
- Stand-still, movement controls
- Clinical and serological surveys, monitoring and surveillance
- Disease status
- Certification of animal health status
Legislation per animal species
There is specific Belgian legislation (Royal Decrees) regarding:
- Bovine tuberculosis
- Bovine brucellosis
- Enzootic Bovine leukosis
- Zoonoses
- Foot and mouth disease
- Avian influenza
- Bluetongue
- Aujeszky’s disease
- Classical swine fever
- African swine fever
- …
Legislation regarding semen, ova and embryos
The Belgian legislation contains several specific Royal Decrees, regarding:
- bovine semen: Royal Decree of 9 December 1992;
- bovine embryos: Royal Decree of 3 August 2012;
- porcine semen: Royal Decree of 6 October 2006;
- equine semen, ova and embryos: Royal Decree of 22 June 2016;
- ovine and caprine semen, ova and embryos: Royal Decree of 18 December 2015.