Part II, Chapter 2, Article 17 · Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131

Contents

Article 17Special requirements regarding the antibody titration test for certain non-commercial movements of pet dogs, pet cats or pet ferrets into the Union#

1.Pet dogs, pet cats or pet ferrets may be moved into the Union from a third country or territory without having undergone an antibody titration test referred to in Article 14, point (c) provided that the animals are moved from a third country or territory meeting the conditions set out in either the following point (a) or (b):

(a)the third country or territory has been included in the list set out in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636 after it made an application to the Commission in which the third country or territory demonstrates that it applies rules for pet dogs, pet cats or pet ferrets, the content and effect of which are equivalent to those laid down in Part II, Chapters 1 and 2 of this Regulation; or

(b)the third country or territory has been included in the list set out in Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636 after it made an application to the Commission in which the third country or territory demonstrates that it fulfils at least the following criteria:

(i)the notification to the competent authorities of rabies infection cases in kept and wild animals is compulsory in the respective country or territory;

(ii)an effective surveillance system for rabies in kept and wild animals has been in place for a period of at least two years prior to the date of the application, a minimum requirement of which is an on-going early detection programme to ensure the investigation and reporting of rabies suspect animals and an appropriate follow-up of any trend in infected animals, which includes for wild carnivores the collection and testing of a sufficient number of such animals found dead;

(iii)rules on the prevention and control of rabies are in force and implemented effectively in the event of the suspicion or confirmation of rabies infection and to prevent the risk of the spread of rabies infection in pet animals or by their movements, including rules on imports of pet animals from other countries or territories, and where appropriate, on the control of the stray dog and cat population, the vaccination of kept animals against rabies and the control and eradication of rabies in wildlife;

(iv)the structure and organisation of the competent authorities to whom the responsibility to organise or perform official control activities has been conferred, the powers of such competent authorities, the supervision to which they are subject and the means at their disposal, including staff and laboratory capacity, are sufficient to apply and enforce national legislation on the non-commercial movement of pet animals effectively;

(v)effective procedures and arrangements have been set up by the competent authorities to guarantee the validity and reliability of the identification documents used for non-commercial movements of pet animals, including measures to prevent the issuance of false or misleading identification documents or the abuse of such documents;

(vi)rules are in force on the licensing and marketing of anti- rabies vaccines.

2.Pet dogs, pet cats or pet ferrets shall only be moved into the Union without having undergone an antibody titration test from a third country referred to in paragraph 1, point (a) or (b) where they comply with the conditions laid down in the following points (a), (b) or (c):

(a)the animals are moved directly from a third country or territory appearing on a list referred to in point (1)(a) or (b), where their pet owner resides habitually; or

(b)following a stay exclusively in one or more of the third countries or territories appearing on a list referred to in point (1)(a) or (b); or

(c)after passing through a third country or territory other than those appearing on a list referred to in point (1)(a) or (b), provided that the pet owner or authorised person provides a signed declaration that during such movement the pet animals have had no contact with animals of listed species susceptible to infection with rabies virus and remained secured within a means of transport or within the perimeter of the international zone of a port or an airport.