Bosnia Transport Process & Common Veterinary Entry Document

We have run five (5) chartered transports from Bosnia now, and get a lot of requests for information as to what is required to run them legally with Bosnia not being in the EU (so not able to participate in TRACES, yet re-homed cats and dogs needing to be transported across a EU border via TRACES.

The Theory

Basically there are two ‘borders’ which need to be taken into consideration: leaving Bosnia and entering the EU, and then entering the UK with the animals.

It should, in theory, be relatively simple, and starts with a Common Veterinary Entry Document (CVED) which you can download here.

The certificate proves that the checks laid down in EU and UK law have been carried out and that the consignment may be released for free circulation.

The CVED is used:

• to notify the BIP of the arrival of your consignment in advance of its arrival (Part 1 is completed by the declarant, or person responsible for the consignment)
• to notify the BIP of the arrival of live animals at least 24 hours ahead of their arrival
• to record the results of the BIP checks (Part 2 is completed by the official at the BIP)
• by the customs authority as proof that the consignment has been checked and to show the intended use of the consignment

You must keep the CVED for at least one year from the date of import, as a local authority can request it as proof of the goods’ legal import.

You can submit the CVED manually or once registered to use it, electronically via the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES). See the guide on using TRACES to trade in animals and animal products

When you are crossing an EU border from a non EU country you need to enter through a Border Inspection Post whose role is to check that imports of all live animals and POAO conform to regulations and are accompanied by the appropriate documentation.

As for entering the UK the animal only really needs to adhere to the PETS Scheme, although you should also have a European Health Certificate

The Issues

As mentioned above Bosnia isn’t in the EU so isn’t TRACES registered.

Bosnia appears not to have access to (or interest in) CVED’s, but they do have access (and use) EU Health Certificates for the non-commercial movement of animals i.e. to be used for pets only not for re-homed animals. The problem with these forms is that they shouldn’t be used when transporting a re-homed cat or dog BUT they appear to be the only forms that Bosnia has access to, as they are used when a Bosnian wants to transport their own pet over the border.

The BIP at Bosanska Gradiska (Croatian side) have no interest at all in allowing cats and dogs out of Bosnia in a Van, or in inputting the information onto TRACES.

The Workaround

It is not uncommon for Bosnians to put 5 animals in a car and take them over the border themselves with the EU Non Commercial Health Certificate, and then hand them over to a transporter who will then take them into the UK on the PETS Scheme.

Tempting and understandable: but wrong.

As the onus is on the BIP to enter the details onto TRACES we have always taken the view that arriving at the BIP with the correct information to ensure they can do this is our responsibility and arriving at the UK Border with the correct Pet passports and EU Health Certificates is our responsibility.