Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with (a) veterinary bodies and (b) EU counterparts on the financial implications for pet owners of the ending of EU recognition of UK pet passports.

On 22 April the EU brought in new rules affecting those travelling with pets from third countries such as Great Britain (GB) into the EU. Defra has engaged with the European Commission to understand how they are implemented, and how this impacts those travelling from GB to the EU.

Ministers have regular conversations with a variety of stakeholders, including veterinary associations, on pet travel. Ahead of the EU’s changes, Defra contacted stakeholders, including the British Veterinary Association, the British Small Animal Vets Association, and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) to update them on the changes.

The UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area. Instead of the current process of getting an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) each time they travel, pet owners will be able to get a multiuse pet passport valid for travel to the EU. Until an agreement with the EU is reached, owners will still need an AHC for their dog, cat or ferret(s) if they are travelling from GB to an EU country.

AHC fees are set by veterinary surgeons or veterinary practices and are a private matter between individual practices and their clients, and neither the RCVS, the UK regulator of the veterinary profession, nor Defra intervene in the level of fees charged.