Have your say about moving equines and domestic animals across borders

As a result of leaving the EU, the government has announced an inquiry which scrutinises the impact of the new agreement and relationship with the EU regarding how animals can be moved across borders.

As well as live animal exports, the inquiry also focuses on equines (horses, ponies and donkeys) and domestic animals and may therefore affect many Countryside Alliance members.

The changes to the requirements for pets travelling between Great Britain and the EU or Northern Ireland are that GB-issued pet passports are no longer valid for travel. Furthermore, from July, new border controls will be put in place by the UK, requiring imported horses entering Great Britain to go through a Border Control Post.

The inquiry covers impacts on animal health including disease outbreak, economic interests, the capacity of the UK to adapt to new regulations, and the illegal movements of animals across borders.

The Committee is seeking written submissions, by 17 March, on any, or all of the following questions:

1. Does the UK have sufficient resources and capacity to certify, record and inspect animal movements across its borders?
2. How effectively will the UK be able to conduct animal disease surveillance and respond to outbreaks?
3. What impact will the new UK-EU agreement have on moving animals across the Irish border and between GB and the EU/Northern Ireland?
4. How should the Government balance animal health and welfare alongside economic interests?

Live animal exports:

1. What impact will ending live animal exports for slaughter and fattening have on UK farmers, processors and other businesses?
2. Does the UK have sufficient capacity to slaughter and process animals that are currently exported? If not, what could be improved?

Domestic animals:

1. How will Great Britain leaving the EU Pet Travel Scheme affect both legal and illegal movements of animals between GB and the EU/NI?
2. Are the current rules and checks on the movement of domestic animals strong enough to prevent illegal activity? If not, what could be improved?

Equines:

1. What impact will the EU Animal Health Law have on the movement of equines between GB and the EU/NI from April 2021?
2. Will the rules and checks on the movement of equines be strong enough to prevent illegal activity? If not, what could be improved?

The Countryside Alliance will be submitting evidence to the inquiry however, the committee welcomes submissions from anyone with answers to the questions in the call for evidence.

You can submit evidence until Wednesday 17th March 2021 by clicking here.