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Identification and Registration of Certain Kept Terrestrial Animals
The EU system for the identification and registration of certain kept terrestrial animals is a key part of the Union’s animal health framework. It is designed to ensure that competent authorities can quickly trace animals and their movements, apply disease prevention and control measures efficiently, and support safe movements within and between Member States as well as during entry into the Union. The legal basis is found in Regulation (EU) 2016/429, together with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/963.
The system currently applies in particular to bovine, ovine, caprine, porcine, equine, camelid and cervid animals. In addition, dogs, cats, ferrets and psittacidae must be individually identified when they are moved to another Member State. Identification and traceability rely on a combination of tools, including ear tags, leg rings, electronic identifiers, identification documents, holding registers, central databases and computerised information systems.
The purpose of this framework is not only administrative. It is central to animal disease prevention, surveillance and outbreak response, because it allows authorities to trace the origin, destination and movements of animals rapidly when sanitary action is needed. To support this traceability architecture, the European Commission also provides computerised systems such as TRACES and BOVEX.
Member States’ competent authorities have specific responsibilities under this framework. They must organise and operate the identification and registration system, issue or supervise the issuing of relevant documents, inform and verify operators, and make certain information publicly available, including contact points for databases, the authorities responsible for identification documents, and the identification means prescribed for each species and category.
Overall, the EU identification and registration regime is a core component of the wider animal health system because it links traceability, disease control, movement management and official oversight in a single operational framework. It is therefore essential both for sanitary protection and for the functioning of the internal market in live animals.
The system currently applies in particular to bovine, ovine, caprine, porcine, equine, camelid and cervid animals. In addition, dogs, cats, ferrets and psittacidae must be individually identified when they are moved to another Member State. Identification and traceability rely on a combination of tools, including ear tags, leg rings, electronic identifiers, identification documents, holding registers, central databases and computerised information systems.
The purpose of this framework is not only administrative. It is central to animal disease prevention, surveillance and outbreak response, because it allows authorities to trace the origin, destination and movements of animals rapidly when sanitary action is needed. To support this traceability architecture, the European Commission also provides computerised systems such as TRACES and BOVEX.
Member States’ competent authorities have specific responsibilities under this framework. They must organise and operate the identification and registration system, issue or supervise the issuing of relevant documents, inform and verify operators, and make certain information publicly available, including contact points for databases, the authorities responsible for identification documents, and the identification means prescribed for each species and category.
Overall, the EU identification and registration regime is a core component of the wider animal health system because it links traceability, disease control, movement management and official oversight in a single operational framework. It is therefore essential both for sanitary protection and for the functioning of the internal market in live animals.
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