Import of captive birds to Finland from countries outside the EU

Please also check the general conditions

'captive birds' means any bird, other than poultry, kept in captivity for purposes other than producing meat, eggs for human consumption, production of other products, and for reintroduction of game birds into the wild, including birds kept for shows, races, exhibitions, competitions, new for the production or sale of birds;

There are many CITES species especially in parrots. Please check whether you need CITES permit for the species you are going to bring in advance

Birds kept in captivity must come from an authorized country and region of origin.

These countries/territories are listed in columns 1 and 2 of the table in Part 1 of Annex VI to Regulation (EC)2021/404.

• A description of the areas can be found in column 2 of the table in Part 2 of Annex VI

Requirements for importing captive birds

The import of captive birds is only permitted if they meet the following requirements:

• they have not been vaccinated against highly pathogenic avian influenza;
• if they have been vaccinated against Newcastle disease virus infection, the competent authority of the third country or territory of origin has given guarantees that the vaccines used are of the general and meet specific criteria;
•  they have been tested for highly pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease virus infection with negative results 7–14 days before the loading date of the consignment intended for the Union.

Requirements for the entry of captive birds into Member States with Newcastle disease virus-free status without vaccination

Finland has a disease exemption regarding Newcastle disease (Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2021/620)

If captive birds of the galliformes species are to be imported into a Member State with Newcastle disease virus-free status without vaccination, consignments shall only be allowed to enter the Union if the animals in the consignment meet the following requirements:

• they have not been vaccinated against Newcastle disease virus infection;
• they have been kept in isolation in the third country or territory of origin for at least 14 days prior to the loading date of the consignment intended for the Union under the supervision of an official veterinarian in such original holding place or quarantine holding place,
• where no bird has been vaccinated against infection with Newcastle disease virus during at least 21 days prior to the date of dispatch of the consignment;
• to which no birds that are not intended for shipment have been brought during the relevant period;
• where no vaccinations have been given;
• serological tests carried out on animal blood samples for antibodies to Newcastle disease virus at a level that can demonstrate with 95% certainty a 5% prevalence of infection have been negative in the 14 days prior to the date of loading of the consignment to the Union

The birds must come from the facility of origin

• where they must have stayed for at least 3 weeks or since hatching, and that
• The institution of origin must be approved by a third competent authority in the country of origin
• The name and approval number of the institution of origin are entered in the list drawn up by the Commission.

Identification mark

• Birds must have a unique identification number marked on a uniquely numbered closed leg ring attached to at least one of the animal's legs with a permanently visible and easily readable alphanumeric identifier

or

• a microchip placed under the skin with a permanently visible and easily readable alphanumeric identifier

The leg ring or microchip must contain at least the following information:

• the code of the third country or territory in which the animals were originally marked, in accordance with ISO standard 3166, in two or three letter form;
• unique serial number.

Animal transport covers (boxes) must meet the following requirements:

• contain only animals of the same species and class from the same holding;
• they are unused and purpose-designed disposable transport covers that are discarded after the first use;
• means of transport used in transport
• are structured such that
• animals cannot escape or fall from them;
• the premises where the animals are kept can be visually inspected;
• the leakage of animal excrement, bedding or feed to the outside is prevented or minimized;
• the shedding of feathers and feathers is prevented or minimized in the case of poultry or captive birds;
• they are closed in the third country of origin in accordance with the instructions of the competent authority of the region, so that changing the content is not possible;
• they contain the information set out in Annex XVI of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 about the bird species and category in question;
• Requirements for movements of captive birds after entry into the Union
• Consignments of captive birds must, after their arrival in the Union, be transported without delay and directly to a quarantine facility approved in accordance with Article 14 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035, as follows:
• the entire journey from the place where the consignment arrives in the Union to the place of quarantine must not take more than nine hours;
• the competent authority must seal the vehicles used to transport the consignments to the quarantine facility in such a way that it is not possible to change the contents.

NOTE! There are no such quarantine place in Finland, so it is not possible for birds to arrive in Finland directly from outside the EU

Obligations of the operators of the holding place of destination after the arrival in the Union of consignments of captive birds

Shipments of captive birds must be accompanied by a valid health certificate issued by the veterinary authority of the country/region of origin.

You can find the health certificate models in Annex II of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 as follows: