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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affair, what steps she has taken to align the United Kingdom as a part 1 listed status with the EU in relation to pet travel into the EU.

The previous Government applied to the European Commission in February 2020 for the United Kingdom (UK) and Crown Dependencies to be listed as a ‘Part 1’ third country for the purposes of the EU pet travel scheme. However, the EU formally ‘listed’ the UK as a ‘Part 2’ third country, meaning pet owners can no longer use pet passports issued in Great Britain (GB) for travel to the EU and instead need a single use Animal Health Certificate (AHC) which allows entry into the EU and re-entry into GB. Pet passports which were issued by a vet in GB before 1 January 2021 can also be used to enter Great Britain, but they will not be accepted to enter the EU, therefore an AHC is still required.

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025 by the current Government, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, which will mean taking pets on holiday into the EU will be easier and cheaper. Instead of getting an Animal Health Certificate 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 (England, Wales and Scotland) to an EU country.

Discussions on the SPS agreement are progressing and the Government has committed, with the EU, to conclude negotiations before the next UK-EU Summit. Whilst these negotiations are ongoing, Defra is unable to provide detailed updates on the talks.