Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

National Assembly for Wales

ANIMAL HEALTH ACT 1981

THE IMPORTATION OF BIRDS, POULTRY AND HATCHING EGGS ORDER 1979

GENERAL LICENCE NO: EGG/2176/01/GEN1

The Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by this licence, issued under Article 4 of the Importation of Birds, Poultry and Hatching Eggs Order 1979, hereby authorises the landing in England/Wales in accordance with the conditions set out below, of:

Details of birds:	Captive Birds (see condition 1).
Originating in:	Countries listed as members of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), other than EU Member States and Norway.
Border Inspection Post of entry into the European Community:	1) Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, Manchester Airport 2) Border Inspection Posts approved for the import of birds in other EU Member States, Norway and Scotland/Glasgow Airport.

Authorised by the Secretary of State 27 May 2002. Conditions 1. Captive birds for the purposes of this licence are those birds covered by the definition of ‘birds’ in Article 1 of Commission Decision 2000/666/EC. 2. Imports of captive birds must comply with the requirements of Commission Decision 2000/666/EC. 3. Captive birds must be transported in cages or crates which must be individually identified with the identification number that must correspond with the identification number on the animal health certificate. 4. The importer must prove to the Border Inspection Post (BIP) that an approved quarantine facility or centre is willing to accept the birds. The written proof must be signed by the owner or owner’s representative of the premises where quarantine is to take place. If the BIP is in a different member state the written statement must be in a language acceptable to the BIP officials of the Member State. 5. Birds destined for England or Wales must be quarantined for at least 30 days in a quarantine facility or centre approved in accordance with Commission Decision 2000/666/EC. During the period of quarantine, inspections of the birds by an official veterinarian and sampling and testing for avian influenza and Newcastle disease must be carried out in accordance with the procedures set out in Commission Decision 2000/666/EC. 6. If during quarantine, it is suspected or confirmed that psittacines are infected with Chlamydia psittaci, all birds of the consignment must be treated by a method approved by the competent authority and the quarantine must be prolonged for at least two months following the last recorded case. 7. Psittacines must be individually identified at arrival in quarantine, if not already identified, by means of a tamperproof leg ring or a microchip bearing a unique serial number. 8. Captive birds will be released from post-import quarantine only on the written authorisation of the Divisional Veterinary Manager (or the appropriate official veterinarian in other Member States) reponsible for the approval of the quarantine facility or centre. 9. All post-import quarantine costs occasioned by the application of Commission Decision 2000/666/EC shall be borne by the importer. 10. The importer must give at least one working day’s notice in writing of his intention to import the birds, specifying the number, nature and estimated time of arrival of the birds, to the official veterinarian of the border inspection post through which the birds are to be imported. Notes 1. Birds which are brought into GB should be carried as manifest freight and not in passenger cabins or hand baggage. 2. In the event of any condition of this licence not being complied with, or in the case of suspicion of disease, a veterinary inspector has powers under the Importation of Birds, Poultry and Hatching Eggs Order 1979 to require the owner or person in charge of the birds to quarantine, re-export or destroy the consignment at the owner’s expense. 3. Imports of birds may require export and import permits under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). CITES permits must be issued in advance and applicants should apply 30 days prior to importation for their permit(s). Those species requiring CITES permits must be moved in compliance with the CITES guidelines for the transport and preparation for shipment of live wild animals or, in the case of air transport, in accordance with the relevant IATA regulations. Failure to observe these regulations may result in the seizure of specimens by HM Customs and Excise. For further details please contact The Wildlife Licensing & Registration Service, Zone 1/17, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6EB, telephone 0117 372 8168, e-mail wildlife.licensing@defra.gsi.gov.uk, website www.cites.gov.uk. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1 a Page Street, London SW1P 4PQ.