Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
March 2015
Intra-Union Trade in Psittacines
Notes for Guidance of the Official
Veterinarian (OV) and Exporters
Page 1 of 8
Contents
Intra-Union Trade in Psittacines ...................................................................................... 1
Notes for Guidance of the Official Veterinarian (OV) and Exporters ............................... 1
1.
Key Documents ........................................................................................................ 3
2.
Notifiable Disease Clearance ................................................................................... 3
3.
Scope ....................................................................................................................... 3
4.
Completion of ITAHC: Specific Guidance ................................................................ 4
5. Notification to CIT Exports, carlisle office of Completion and Signature /
Amendment of ITAHC .................................................................................................... 7
Certified Copies of ITAHCs .......................................................................................... 7
Notification of cancellation or changes ........................................................................ 7
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1. Key Documents
The following key documents must be read and understood prior to completing
and signing the Intra-Trade Animal Health Certificate (ITAHC) for Animals from
Holdings (Ungulates, Birds, Lagomorphs, Dogs, Cats And Ferrets), in respect
of psittacines.


Psittacines-NFG - this document
Psittacines-CKL - checklist procedures
2. Notifiable Disease Clearance
Official Veterinarians may certify the following paragraphs of the Checklist on
behalf of the Department provided written authority to do so has been obtained
from Animal and Plant Health Agency, Centre for International Trade (CIT)
Exports, Carlisle on form TRACES-NDC:

Paragraphs 1, 2(a) and 2(b) of Psittacines-CKL
The TRACES-NDC must bear the same certificate reference number as the
ITAHC to which it relates.
3. Scope
3.1 This ITAHC covers intra-union trade (i.e. commercial movements) of birds
of the Psittacidae family (parrots, macaws, cockatiels, conures, lovebirds,
budgerigars etc) which are being dispatched from premises which have been
registered under Article 4 of the Balai Directive, 92/65/EEC.
Exporters who wish to apply for their premises to become registered should
contact CIT Exports, Carlisle.
Before signing the export health certificate, the Official Veterinarian must be
satisfied that all of the relevant requirements of the Directive 92/65/EEC (as
amended) have been met. These requirements are covered in the checklist,
Psittacines-CKL. If all the answers on the checklist are “YES” the relevant
requirements of the Directive will be satisfied.
3.2 Birds of prey, perching birds and other captive birds do not require official
veterinary certification under the Balai Directive. Commercial movement of
these birds may therefore take place on the basis that the premises of origin is
registered under Article 4 of the Balai Directive, 92/65/EEC as amended, and
the birds are accompanied by a statement issued by the seller or exporter
stating that the birds:
 do not show any obvious signs of disease at the time of export;
 do not come from a holding on which avian influenza has been diagnosed
in the past 30 days;
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 do not come from a holding or an area covered by restrictions due to an
outbreak of Newcastle disease.
 have completed quarantine under the Captive Bird Import Directive
2000/666/EC as amended (only for birds imported from a country outside
the EU).
3.3 Although this TRACES ITAHC is not legally required for non-psittacine
birds, we are aware that some destination EU Member States erroneously
insist on its use for birds of prey and other non-psittacine birds. In these cases,
Question 3 of Psittacines-CKL may be deleted by the certifying Official
Veterinarian to allow the ITAHC to be signed as normal.
4. Completion of ITAHC: Specific Guidance
(a) Completion of Part I, box I.31 - identification of the animals
Exporters must complete Box I.31 of Part I with the following information:
 species
 age and sex
 individual identification and method (microchip, leg ring, etc)
The Official Veterinarian must be satisfied that the bird(s) is/are suitably and
individually identified in accordance with the details recorded in Part I.31 of the
health certificate. The “Official Veterinarian practice” (NOT someone in the
employ of the exporter, transporter or agent) is responsible for verifying the
identification marks and other details of each animal included in the certificate.
(b) Welfare in Transport: Part II.1 (option 1) of the ITAHC
The examination should take place within 48 hours of the intended time of
departure.Council Regulation 1/2005 on the protection of animals during
transport Article 3 (a) lays down the provisions with respect to fitness of animals
to be transported on the intended journey. Annex I, Chapter I states that:
No animal shall be transported unless it is fit for the intended journey and all
animals shall be transported in conditions guaranteed not to cause them injury
or unnecessary suffering. Animals that are injured or that present physiological
weakness or pathological processes shall not be considered fit for transport.
However, sick or injured animals may be considered fit if they are:
(i) slightly injured or ill and transport would not cause unnecessary
suffering;
(ii) transported for scientific research purposes approved by the competent
authority;
(iii) transported under veterinary supervision for or following veterinary
treatment or diagnosis.
(iv) however, such transport shall be permitted only where no unnecessary
suffering or ill treatment is caused to the animals concerned.
The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 and parallel
legislation in Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland implement the Regulation in the
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UK. Guidance on the legislation issued by the Department for Environment,
Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) gives the following advice on the fitness to travel
of animals for transport:
Every animal should be fit for the journey that is planned. Animals should be in
good health, free of illness, free of significant wounds and able to walk without
pain on all legs. Animals that are in sufficiently good health, should be able to
withstand the stress of a journey without experiencing any unnecessary pain or
distress, and should arrive at their destination in good health. Animals that are
injured or that present physiological weaknesses or pathological processes
shall not be considered fit for transport.
Exporters must comply with the British welfare laws relating to the export of
animals. If transported by air, animals should be transported in accordance with
International Air Transport Association (IATA) standards.
Further information about the necessary requirements may be obtained from
the Animal Welfare Team at any of the offices mentioned below.
England, Scotland and Wales
Welfare in Transport Team at the APHA
Specialist Service Centre – International Trade – at Carlisle, via the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/animal-and-plant-health-agency
Northern Ireland
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Northern Ireland,
Dundonald House, Upper Newtowards Road, Ballymiscaw, Belfast, BT4 3SB.
DARD helpline number 0300 200 7852. DARD helpline email –
[email protected]
DARD Textphone 028 9052 4420
This paragraph may be certified if the answer to Question 5(b) of the checklist,
Psittacines-CKL, is “YES”.
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(c) Part II.2 (option 2) of the ITAHC
Part II.2 of the ITAHC refers to Article 4 of Council Directive 92/65/EEC. If the
answer to Question 1 of the checklist, Psittacines-CKL, is “YES” then the
conditions of Article 4 of Council Directive 92/65/EEC have been met and this
paragraph may be certified.
(d) Part II.2 (option 2) (for birds other than those referred to in Council
Directive 2009/158/EC) of the ITAHC
Part II.2 (a) and (b) for birds other than those referred to in Council Directive
2009/158/EC of the ITAHC refers to Article 7 of Council Directive 92/65/EEC
(as amended) and also requires that they show no clinical sign of disease on
examination.
Article 7 of the Directive covers the disease status of the holding of origin in
relation to avian influenza, Newcastle disease and psittacosis, and lays down
that psittacine birds must be identified. These requirements are reflected in
Questions 2, 3 and 4 of the checklist, Psittacines-CKL. In order to answer
“YES” to Question 3 of Psittacines-CKL, the OV must either have personal
knowledge of the conditions in the premises of origin during the past 8 weeks,
or must obtain a support statement from another veterinary surgeon who does
have such knowledge.
The requirement for the clinical examination is reflected in Question 5 (a) of
Psittacines-CKL.
If all of the answers to Questions 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the checklist, PsittacinesCKL are “YES”, then the birds satisfy the requirements of Article 7 of Council
Directive 92/65/EEC and of the clinical examination, and this paragraph may be
certified.
If the ITAHC is being used for non-psittaccine birds, Question 3 of the checklist,
Psittacines-CKL does not apply and may therefore be deleted. See also
paragraphs 3.2 and 3.3 above.
(e) Part II.3 of the ITAHC
This does not currently apply to psittacines and should be deleted.
(f) Stamp and Signature
Having completed all the checks, ensuring the ITAHC is fully completed and
all the appropriate deletions and/or additions have been made, the Official
Veterinarian must sign and stamp the ITAHC with the Official Veterinarian’s
official stamp in ink of any colour other than black. The completed ITAHC
will accompany the consignment to its final destination.
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5. Notification to CIT Exports, carlisle office of
Completion and Signature / Amendment of
ITAHC
In order to meet the requirement for notification of animal movements to other
Member States, Official Veterinarians must notify CIT Exports, Carlisle that an
ITAHC has been completed and signed. Completed copies of the following
documents must be emailed (preferred option) or faxed to CIT Exports,
Carlisleon the same day the ITAHC is signed:
 Part I of the ITAHC (indicating any amendments);
 completed Part II of the ITAHC.
Any amendments to Part I of the ITAHC, must be clearly indicated, and
endorsed with Official Veterinarian stamp and initials, so that the necessary
amendments can be made by CIT Exports, Carlisle, prior to sending the
TRACES movement notification to the destination Member State.
Certified Copies of ITAHCs
Official Veterinarians should make at least one photocopy of the completed (i.e.
signed and stamped) ITAHC and endorse the front of each copy with “Certified
copy” and their initials. One copy should be retained by the Official Veterinarian
for record purposes for a minimum of one year. Where it is not possible to email
or fax a copy of the ITAHC to CIT Exports, Carlisle, on the same day on which
the ITAHC is signed, the Official Veterinarian should make an additional
photocopy and ensure this is delivered to CIT Exports, Carlisle on the same
day on which the ITAHC is signed. However, where this requirement for
photocopying is likely to give rise to considerable practical difficulties, the OV
should contact CIT Exports, Carlisle for advice.
Notification of cancellation or changes
If the consignment is
 cancelled, or
 its date/time of departure has changed significantly, or
 a different vehicle is used, or
 all the animals are not loaded,
the exporter must notify CIT Exports, Carlisle by email or fax, giving details of
changes, so that a replacement TRACES message can be sent.
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© Crown copyright 2011
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under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit
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This document/publication is also available on our website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/import-export/
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