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Wild Land Mammals and Farmed Rabbits
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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The information on this page relates to the meat of:
- wild rabbits and hares
- wild land mammals other than ungulates and leporidae
- farmed rabbits
This meat must have been produced following the below conditions:
a. Council Directive 2002/99/EC - animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption
b. Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 - general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety
c. Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 - on the hygiene of foodstuffs
d. Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 - laying down specific rules for food of animal origin
e. Regulation (EU) 2017/625 - official controls and other official activities that ensure food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products are followed
f. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/625 - supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 - entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals and goods intended for human consumption
The above meats may be imported provided they:
a. Come from an approved country/part of a country
b. Come from an EU approved establishment
c. Are accompanied by an agreed animal/public health certificate
Consignments of meat of wild rabbits and hares, of wild land mammals, other than ungulates and leporidae, and of farmed rabbits intended for human consumption can only be authorised for the entry into the Union if they come from the third countries or regions thereof authorised for the import into the Union in accordance with Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 119/2009.
They must be produced in establishments approved to export to the EU and follow HACCP principles in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 852/2004.
The products must be obtained in compliance with Section IV of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and must have been found fit for human consumption following post-mortem inspections.
Meat of wild land mammals other than ungulates and leporidae must fulfil the requirements of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2075/2005 laying down specific rules on official controls for Trichinella in meat, and in particular has been subjected to an examination by a digestion method with negative results.
The country of origin must also be listed for the appropriate species in Commission Decision 2011/163/EU on the approval of residue monitoring plans submitted by third countries, in accordance with Council Directive 96/23/EC.
In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 (as amended), products of animal origin must bear an identification mark that shows the approval number of the approved premises together with an abbreviation for the country of origin. The mark must be applied directly to the product or to the wrapping or packaging.
Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein have international agreements with the EU which means that they implement EU veterinary legislation in relation to the movement of animal products. Animal products from these countries must comply with the same requirements applying to animal products from EU Member States and are therefore not subject to veterinary checks.
Other Third Countries have special conditions associated with the importation of products of animal origin. Further information can be found in the following legislation relevant to that particular country:
- Canada: Council Decision 1999/201/EC; Decision 79/542/EC
- New Zealand: Commission Decision 2003/56/EC; Council Decision 97/132/EC
- Japan: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/6
- USA: Council Decision 1998/258/EC
Meat of wild leporidae, of wild land mammals other than ungulates and leporidae, and of farmed rabbits must be presented at a Community Border Inspection Post with by a veterinary health certificate, drawn up in conformity with the models certificates in Annex II to Commission Regulation (EC) No. 119/2009.
The certifying veterinarian should ensure that only the relevant paragraphs and, where appropriate, additional guarantees and/or special conditions applicable to exporting country are included.
Meat of farmed rabbits - Health Certificate - Model RM
Fill out this form if you are importing the meat of farmed rabbits into Ireland.
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Meat of wild Leporidae - Health Certificate - Model WL
Fill out this form if you are importing the meat of wild Leporidae into Ireland.
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Meat of wild land mammals other than ungulates and leporidae) - Health Certificate – Model WM
Fill out this form if you are importing the meat of wild land mammals other than ungulates and leporidae into Ireland.
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Document submission
Consignments of meat of wild leporidae, of wild land mammals other than ungulates and leporidae, and of farmed rabbits entering the EU must be inspected at an EU-approved Border control Post (BCP) where Member States' official veterinarians ensure they follow EU legislation.
The importer (or a customs agent acting on their behalf) must give the BCP at least 24 hours advance notification of the arrival of the consignment. Failure to submit correct documentation within this timeline may result in significant delays.
Pre-notification is given by the submission of Part 1 of the Common Health Entry Document (CHED-P), as is laid down in Commission Implementing Regulation (EC) No. 2019/1715, through the online TRACES system.
Copies of other supporting documentation associated with the consignment should be submitted at this time as well - such as the Health Certificate, Invoice, Packing list etc.
Border Control
If all documentation has been submitted correctly and on time, many of the documentary checks (including an exam of the veterinary certificate and other documents) can be carried out in advance of the consignment's arrival.
The original hard copy of the health certificate must travel with the consignment. It will be checked and held at the BCP at the point of entry into the EU.
An identity check will be carried out at the BCP to ensure it identifies with the consignment declared in the documentation.
A proportion of consignments will be selected for a full physical inspection with/without sampling.
Following the required checks, the decision is entered in Part 2 of the CHED which must accompany the consignment to the first place of destination referred to in the CHED.
If the consignment does not meet the import requirements, the consignment may be rejected and either re-exported or destroyed.