Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Diseases of animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

Diseases of Animals (Importation of bird products) Order (Northern ireland) 1996

DISEASES OF ANIMALS (IMPORTATION OF POULTRY) ORDER (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1965 (AS AMENDED)

General import licence

Licence N o : DARD/GEN/08/02

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in accordance with the terms of the above legislation, hereby authorises the importation into Northern Ireland of:–

Day Old Chicks and Hatching Eggs from Great Britain

 subject to the following conditions:

General conditions applicable to all imports

1. All landings must be in accordance with the provisions of the Diseases of Animals (Importation of Poultry) Order (Northern Ireland) 1965 (as amended) and with the following provisions of this licence.

2. Each consignment of day old chicks and hatching eggs must be accompanied by a commercial document containing:

•	Full details of the consignment;
•	Description and quantities;
•	Name and addresses of importer and exporter;
•	Haulier vehicle registration number;
•	Premises of destination (if different to above);
•	The date of issue;
•	Reference number (e.g. batch numbers, order numbers, lot numbers, etc.); to enable the document to be batched to the consignment;
•	Approval/registration number of the premises which produced the birds or eggs, to be marked by an official stamp.

3. Before leaving the premises of export, the exterior of the vehicle must be free of any visible contamination with mud, slurry, animal faeces, excretion or any other similar matter. The vehicle wheels and wheel arches must be cleansed and disinfected after loading and before leaving the premises.

4. The premises of origin must be free from Newcastle Disease and Avian Influenza and must not be situated in an area subject to restrictions due to these diseases.

5. Following landing in Northern Ireland, the person responsible for the consignment at the time of importation must report to a DARD Portal Inspector at the Port/Airport of entry and follow the directions of any DARD authorised officer.

6. The consignment must be delivered without delay directly to the premises of destination as detailed on the commercial documentation. (delivery to multiple destinations is not permitted).

7. In the case of birds imported from a Third Country, a quarantine period as set out in 2007/318/EC must be completed prior to importation into Northern Ireland.

8. The birds must not, at the time of dispatch, show any obvious signs of disease.

9. Following importation, any signs or suspicion of disease in the imported birds must immediately be reported to the Divisional Veterinary Office responsible for the area to which they are consigned.

Movement of Table Eggs for the manufacture of eggs products and disposal:

1. If the eggs are for disposal, disposal must be in accordance with the Animal By-Products Regulations (NI) 2003.

Movement of Hatching Eggs to hatcheries:

1. The eggs come from a Free Area and are not eggs supplied from laying farms in a protection zone, surveillance zone or restricted area.

Movement of Hatching Eggs to designated premises where eggs are used in vaccine manufacture or for scientific purposes:

1. The hatching eggs must move to a designated premises.

2. The hatching eggs and their packaging (including packaging tray and trolleys) are disinfected/fumigated before dispatch.

Signed, Michelle H. McIlwaine, Officer of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

This licence is valid until further notice or unless revoked by the Department.

NOTES

1. Poultry is defined in Council Directive 90/539/EEC as fowl, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, quails, pigeons, pheasants, partridges and ratites reared or kept in captivity for breeding, the production of meat or eggs for consumption or re-stocking supplies of game.

2. Hatching eggs are defined as eggs for incubation laid by poultry as defined in Note 1 above.

3. In the event of any condition of this licence not being complied with, or in the case of suspicion of disease, the Department has powers under The Diseases of Animals (Importation of Poultry) Order (Northern Ireland) 1965 (as amended) to require the owner to quarantine, re-export or destroy the consignment at the owner’s expense.