Bringing rabbits out of Sweden

1. The establishment must be registered

You shall register the establishment in our e‑service in good time before the first estimated occasion of exit.

• E-service: The establishment register – places with animals – in Swedish
  

2. Requirements of the transport

Requirements on the means of transport or container

The transporter shall ensure that the means of transport or the containers used for the transport are such that the animals cannot escape or fall out. It must also be possible to see into the space or the container in which the animals are kept during transport, and these must be designed to prevent or minimise the spread of animal excrement, litter or feed.

The means of transport shall be cleaned and disinfected as soon as possible after each transport of animals, and dried off or let to dry before new animals are loaded. This is not necessary if the animals have been transported in a container, and if the means of transport has not come into contact with the animals or their excrement.

If the animals are transported in a container, only animals of the same species, category and type, as well as with the same health status, may be transported in the same container. That is to say that animals from different establishment may not be grouped together and transported in the same container. You may also not transport animals of different species in the same container. If containers are used, they must either be disposable containers which are destroyed after use, or they must be cleaned and disinfected after use and dried or let dry before any subsequent use. The operators are to take all necessary measures to ensure that the animals are sent directly to their destination.

A transporter’s permit may be required in some cases

Transporters who charge money for transport, and anyone transporting animals as part of a business, must have a transporter’s permit.

• Transporter’s permit to transport animals

3. Requirements pertaining to the animal’s health

The animals must have been born in captivity and kept in captivity since birth. The animals must be healthy, and the movement must not compromise the health status of the destination. This means that

• The animals must not show any signs of disease when they are dispatched.
• The animals must come from a registered establishment
  • where there is no abnormal mortality without an established cause of death
  • which is not subject to any restrictions on the movement of rabbits, considering listed diseases and new diseases
  • which are not located in a restriction zone pertaining to listed diseases or new diseases to which rabbits are susceptible.
• The animals may also not have been in contact with any kept terrestrial animals which are subject to any of the aforementioned restrictions, or that have a lower health status than the animals which are to be sent, since birth or for a sufficiently long time considering the transmission and incubation period of the listed or new disease in question.

Listed diseases refer to diseases for which preventive measures are to be taken and which are being combated in the EU. These listed diseases, as well as a list of the species and group of species which pose a significant risk of transmission of these diseases, are provided in a table in the European Commission’s regulations. At present, two diseases are listed for rabbits, namely infections of the bacteria Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella suis and the bacteria which belongs to Mycobacterium tuberculosis -complex (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium caprae och Mycobacterium bovis).

• EU Regulation (EU) No 2018/1882 on the application of certain disease prevention and control rules to categories of listed diseases (eur-lex.europa.eu)

New diseases refer to diseases other than those appearing on this list which meet one of the following criteria:

• The disease is the result of an existing infectious agent that has developed or changed.
• The disease is a known disease which is spreading to a new geographical area, a new species or a new population.
• The disease is diagnosed for the first time in the EU.
• The disease is caused by an unidentified or previously unidentified agent.

In addition, in order for a disease to qualify as a new disease, it needs to pose a risk to human or animal health or to biodiversity, and it needs to be transmissible. There must also be a method to diagnose the disease, and infection control measures, which are proportionate to the risk entailed by the disease, which must be able to have an effect on the disease.

4. A self-declaration must accompany the animals

You, as the operator at the site of origin, shall issue a self-declaration stating all of the following:

• Place of origin including registration number and place of destination (i.e. the registered establishments sending and receiving animals respectively)
• Means of transport and transporter
• Description of the species, category and number of animals
• Identification of the animals if the animals are identified
• That the animals meet the health requirements, that is to say:
  • the animals did not show any symptoms of disease at the time of dispatch
  • the establishment from which the animals are coming is registered (specify the registration number you received when you registered your establishment in our e‑service)
  • that there has been no abnormal mortality without an established cause of death
  • the dispatching establishment is not subject to any restrictions due to any disease to which rabbits are susceptible
  • the animals which are being moved have not been in contact with any animals that are subject to restrictions due to any disease to which rabbits are susceptible, or have a lower health status than the animals being moved
  • the animals are being transported directly to their destination
  • the animals are to be transported in a means of transport and/or container which are designed so that the animals cannot escape or fall out, so that the animal’s feed and excrement are not spilled, so that it is possible to see into the container and that they have been cleaned and disinfected or that disposable containers are used.

There is not currently a template for this self-declaration, but self-declarations must include the aforementioned and shall be signed by you as the operator at the place of origin.

A health certificate or a notification through Traces is not required.

Find out if there are any export restrictions

Before you travel with animals or export them to countries outside the EU, you need to find out if any export restrictions apply due to contagious animal diseases.

• Restrictions on trade and relocation due to outbreaks of infectious animal diseases – in Swedish

Contact the country to which the animals are travelling

• Whether it is possible to travel with the animals or export them to the destination country
• Which rules apply in the country to which the animals are travelling
• Whether any particular permit is required
• Whether you need to apply for anything in particular, e.g. an import licence
• Which health certificates are required
• Whether the animals must be vaccinated before being transported, or be quarantined

Obtain a health certificate

In order to travel with or sell an animal to countries outside the EU, the animal must have a health certificate that must be issued by an official veterinarian in Sweden before the journey. Contact the veterinary authorities or embassies of the country in question in good time before the journey and find out which certificate is to be used and what requirements apply for the animal to be allowed to travel into the country. When you have found out this information, contact an official veterinarian.

• Official veterinarians in Sweden – in Swedish

Submit a customs declaration

If you sell animals to a country outside the EU, you must submit an electronic customs declaration to the Swedish Customs.

• Exporting goods (tullverket.se) –in Swedish

If the animals are returning to Sweden later

If the animals are returning to Sweden after a stay in a country outside the EU, there are Swedish requirements that your animal must meet. The requirements may differ from those that apply when leaving, and vary depending on the country which the animal is returning from. Make sure you know which rules apply in Sweden before you leave, so that the animal can come back home with you afterwards. You can find the rules further up on this page.