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ARCHIVE: International trade: Imports - General Licences
Certain animals and products of animal origin that are not covered by European Union regulations require an import licence or authorisation to be imported into Great Britain.
Many animals and products of animal origin can be imported under “general” licences/authorisations which are published on the website. Importers do not need to apply for their own copy. General licences/authorisations are categorised as follows:
These licences are available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Further information is available on our help page about downloading or reading Adobe Acrobat PDF documents.
Importers that wish to import a commodity which is covered by a general licence should familiarise themselves with the conditions. You must be able to comply with all the conditions set out in the licence/authorisation.
If the material you wish to import is not covered by one of the general licences/authorisations, you must apply for a specific licence/authorisation. Applications for specific licences and authorisations should be made to the relevant Department in the country in which the product is landing.
Commercial imports of some animals and products of animal origin which are covered by EU legislation do not require a licence/authorisation. Imports should be accompanied by appropriate certification and ususally have to enter the EU through a Border Inspection Post where checks are carried out to ensure that import conditions have been met. Further details are available via Importer Information Notes. You may also wish to contact the Animal Health Import Team for further guidance and to satisfy yourself that you can comply with the rules.
Compliance with animal health and welfare controls does not preclude the need to comply with other relevant legislation, including those relating to the control of trade in endangered species.
There are also a number of flowcharts (PDF) to help you determine which licence or authorisation is appropriate for you to use. A copy of the letter of authorisation from Animal Health (PDF) and letter of authorisation for DNA/RNA (PDF) is also available. These flowcharts apply to research licences/ authorisations only.
If you have any queries about the use of specific or general licences/authorisations please contact us.
Research
Please see below for Amendment Notices for General licences/Authorisations. These amendments must be read with the authorisation notice that it relates to.
General licence number |
Commodity |
Country of origin |
Date issued |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Animal tissue derived from mammals and birds fixed in formalin intended as a display item |
Third countries or parts of third countries, from which Member States authorise imports of fresh meat of domestic bovine animals, which are listed in Part I of Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 (as amended) |
21 March 2011 |
Active |
|
Animal tissue derived from mammals and birds fixed in formalin intended for research use |
Countries listed in row 14 of table 2, Section 1, Chapter II of Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 |
21 March 2011 |
Active |
|
Trade samples and Display items |
EU countries, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
18 March 2011 |
Active |
|
Research and diagnostic samples |
EU countries, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
18 March 2011 |
Active |
|
Any product derived from fish, reptiles and invertebrates from certain Third countries |
Australia, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, New Zealand and USA |
24 February 2010 |
Active |
|
IMP/GEN/2010/02 |
Animal tissue fixed in formalin for museum purposes from all countries |
All countries |
24 February 2010 |
Revoked |
Heat treated eggs and egg product samples from certain Third countries |
Third countries listed in Part1 Annex II to Council Decision 79/542/EEC |
24 February 2010 |
Active |
|
Ultra heat treated (UHT) milk samples from certain third countries |
Listed countries in Column B Council Decision 2004/438/EC |
24 February 2010 |
Active |
|
IMP/GEN/2010/05 |
Processed Feather Samples from EU countries |
All EU countries |
24 February 2010 |
Revoked |
Processed Feather samples from Third Countries |
All non EU countries |
24 February 2010 |
Active |
|
Heat treated organs, glands, blood or other tissues from ungulates born and bred in captivity from certain Third countries |
Australia, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, New Zealand and USA |
24 February 2010 |
Active |
|
Heat treated organs, glands, blood or other tissues from domestic, zoo and laboratory mammals excluding ungulates and primates born and bred in captivity from all Third countries |
All non EU countries |
24 February 2010 |
Active |
|
IMP/GEN/2010/09 |
Heat treated organs, glands, blood or other tissues from ungulates born and bred in captivity from EU countries |
All EU countries |
24 February 2010 |
Revoked |
IMP/GEN/2010/10 |
Heat treated organs, glands, blood or other tissues from domestic, zoo and laboratory mammals excluding ungulates and primates from EU countries |
EU countries |
24 February 2010 |
Revoked |
IMP/GEN/2010/11 |
Whole carcases, part of carcases, organs, glands, blood, faeces, urine or other body fluids or tissues/ materials derived from these commodities from animals of the Family Canidae, Family Felidae. Order Rodentia and Order Lagomorpha born and bred in captivity for EU Countries. |
All EU countries |
24 March 2010 |
Revoked |
Whole carcases, part of carcases, organs, glands, blood, faeces, urine or other body fluids or tissues/ materials derived from these commodities from animals of the Family Canidae, Family Felidae. Order Rodentia and Order Lagomorpha born and bred in captivity for certain third countries |
Australia, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, New Zealand and USA |
24 March 2010 |
Active |
|
Products and Substances |
All countries |
22 November 2010 | Active |
|
Honey intended for educational, research and diagnostic purposes |
All third countries |
22 November 2010 | Active |
|
DNA, plasmid DNA or RNA other than sequences which could be used to reconstitute a pathogen |
All non EU countries |
18/07/08 |
Active |
|
POAO/GEN/2008/01 |
Blood products |
|
18/07/08 |
Revoked |
Live animals
General licence number |
Commodity |
Country of origin |
Date issued |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMP/GEN/2011/07 | Captive and pet birds | Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey (Channel Islands) | 22/06/11 |
Active |
Poultry & hatching eggs |
Jersey and Bailiwick of Guernsey (Channel Islands) |
14/04/11 |
Active |
|
Sheep for breeding, production and slaughter |
The Isle of Man |
30/06/10 |
Active |
|
Cattle aged 15 days and over |
Northern Ireland |
27/04/09 |
Active |
|
Pigs intended for slaughter |
Northern Ireland |
30/01/09 |
Active |
|
IMP/GEN/2004/18 |
Cattle aged 15 days and over |
Northern Ireland |
05/01/05 |
Revoked |
Pigs for breeding & production |
Northern Ireland |
02/06/04 |
Active |
|
Poultry & hatching eggs |
Northern Ireland |
22/06/04 |
Active |
|
Captive birds |
Northern Ireland |
22/06/04 |
Active |
|
Ruminating ungulates |
Northern Ireland |
17/03/04 |
Active |
|
Ruminating ungulates from “Balai” approved premises |
EU Member States & Norway |
18/12/03 |
Active |
|
Ruminating ungulates |
EU Member States & Norway |
18/12/03 |
Active |
|
Cattle for breeding |
Channel Islands |
17/12/02 |
Active |
|
Sheep and goats |
Channel Islands |
09/07/97 |
Active |
|
Sheep and goats |
Northern Ireland |
03/10/96 |
Active |
|
Cattle |
Isle of Man |
05/09/91 |
Active |
|
Goats |
Isle of Man |
20/04/89 |
Active |
|
Pigs |
Isle of Man |
03/02/86 |
Active |
|
L/99/1 |
Pigs for slaughter |
Northern Ireland |
1/03/99 |
Revoked |
Genetic material
General licence number |
Commodity |
Country of origin |
Date issued |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMP/GEN/2011/11 | Embryos, Ova and Semen | All non EU countries | 23/09/11 | Active |
Semen of the ovine/caprine species |
Northern Ireland |
25/05/06 |
Active |
|
Semen, embryos or ova of the bovine, ovine, caprine, porcine or equine for research purposes |
Member states & Norway |
23/07/04 |
Active |
|
Bovine semen |
Northern Ireland |
10/04/08 |
Active |
|
Porcine semen |
Northern Ireland |
24/07/07 |
Active |
Products for human consumption
General licence number |
Commodity |
Country of origin |
Date issued |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Meat, dairy & processed products |
EU countries, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
30/03/09 |
Active |
|
All non EU countries, except when a composite product contains a milk product in which case the milk product must comply with the appropriate conditions of origin overleaf. |
All non EU countries |
28/03/07 |
Active |
|
bread; cake; chocolate; confectionary (including sweets); unfilled gelatine capsules; food supplements packaged for the final customer containing small amounts of animal products and those including glucosamine, chondroitin or chitosan; meat extracts and meat concentrates; pasta & noodles not mixed or filled with meat products; soup stock and flavourings packaged for the final consumer containing meat extracts, meat concentrates, animal fats or fish oils, powder or extracts. |
All non EU countries |
28/03/07 |
Active |
Products for non human consumption
General licence number |
Commodity |
Country of origin |
Date issued |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hay and Straw |
Member States of the EU, Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein |
01/07/2011 |
Active |
|
Hay and Straw |
Countries listed on Part 1 of Annex V of Commission Regulation 2004/136/EC |
01/07/2011 |
Active |
|
Category 3 animal by-products not intended for human consumption as defined in Commission Regulation 1774/2002 (animal by-products) |
EU countries, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
30/03/09 |
Active |
|
Pet health feed/supplements containing milk, egg or gelatin which are not pet food in the scope of Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 |
Countries outside the EU which are on the EU animal health approved list for the primary product type of milk, egg or gelatin |
16/12/05 |
Active |
|
TAY/GEN/2005/894 |
Pet health feed/supplements containing honey, fish products, invertebrates, dicalcium/tricalcium phosphate, meat extracts or flavourings and which are not pet food in the scope of Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 |
All non EU countries |
16/12/05 |
Revoked |
Empty blown ostrich/emu egg shells |
All Countries |
20/07/04 |
Active |
|
Laboratory test kits |
All countries |
02/07/04 |
Active |
|
Bodies and parts of bodies of certain wild caught animals |
All countries |
14/12/07 |
Active |
|
Decorative feathers |
All countries |
01/08/07 |
Active |
|
Hay and straw |
Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, USA |
02/08/96 |
Active |
|
Hay and straw |
South Africa |
02/08/96 |
Active |
|
Hides and skins of ungulates that have undergone the complete process of tanning, wet blue hides and skins of ungulates, pickled pelts and limed hides |
All countries |
28/05/04 |
Active |
|
Finished diets for laboratory rodents or primates |
USA |
05/03/04 |
Active |
|
TAY/GEN/2004/228 |
Animal tissue fixed in formalin, intended for educational, research, exhibition and museum purposes |
All countries |
11/03/04 |
Revoked |
TAY/GEN/2003/1636 |
Civet musk for technical use |
All countries |
03/12/03 |
Active |
Treated skins/furs |
All countries |
06/10/03 |
Active |
|
Leather, manufactured bone and horn articles, manufactured glue, oils and waxes of animal origin and catgut. |
All counties |
21/12/94 |
Active |
|
Gelatine for manufacture of paintballs |
Canada |
18/07/08 |
Active |
|
Finished cosmetic products |
USA/Canada/New Zealand/Australia |
10/06/04 |
Active |
|
TAY/GEN/2003/1268 |
Game trophies of ungulates and birds having undergone a complete taxidermy treatment ensuring their preservation at ambient temperatures, and game trophies of species other than ungulates and birds |
All countries |
01/10/03 |
Revoked |
Page last modified: 5 September 2011