Import of horses from third countries (non-EU and EEA countries)
The import of horses from countries outside the EEA (EU- and EFTA-states) is governed by the regulations listed under "Applicable rules" at the bottom of the page.
Main points relating to the import of horses
Importing horses into Norway involves several steps. This summary gives you an overview of the process.
1. Registration of importers
Before the horse is imported into Norway, the importer and first recipient must be registered with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. This is done via the Authority’s forms service, Mattilsynets skjematjenester, on the form “New importer of live animals, breeding products and live aquatic animals”. You can find the form on the “Other forms” tab, after logging in to the forms service. Here you enter information about the importer, first recipient and tariff number. Questions about tariff numbers and fees should be addressed to Norwegian Customs (toll.no).
You log in to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s forms service via AltInn. Anyone without a Norwegian social security number, and companies not entered in the Central Register of Legal Entities, cannot use the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s forms service. They must notify the Norwegian Food Safety Authority by e-mail or letter.
2. Animal health requirements
Animal health requirements laid down for import from an approved third country are set out in the EU-legislation. Please note that special safety measures may apply to some countries.
3. Notification of import
The import must be reported via TRACES no later than 24 hours before the horse arrives at the border control station.
In TRACES, the veterinarian fills out the CVED (Common Veterinary Entry Document) and sends it electronically to the border control station.
More information about TRACES (europa.eu)
4. Health certificate and equine passport
The horse must be accompanied by an approved health certificate (TRACES) in the original, completed by an official veterinarian in the country of dispatch. Any required laboratory tests must be carried out in a laboratory approved by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.
The equine must be accompanied by an identification document (horse passport) issued in accordance to the EU-legislation.
If the horse is imported permanently (kept in Norway for more than 90 days) the horse passport must be sent to a Norwegian passport-issuing body no later than 30 days after the customs procedure has been completed. The passport-issuing body for the relevant category of horse can be found on this web-page; Equine passports and health cards (Norwegian)
The passport-issuing body assesses if the passport issued in the third country fulfils the requirements of the EU-legislation. Depending on the result of the assessment, the passport issuing body might have to issue a new passport for the horse. In addition, the passport-issuing body must record identity details of the horse.
Exceptions to this requirement are temporary stays for stallions during the covering season, horses staying at a veterinary clinic for medical reasons, and horses slaughtered no later than 10 days after importation.
More information about equine passports and health cards (Norwegian)
5. Veterinary border controls
Horses from third countries must be brought into the EEA area through an approved border control station, where a veterinary border control will be carried out. Horses imported via other EU- og EFTA-states must undergo veterinary border controls at an approved border control station in the state where they enter the EEA-area (EU- og EFTA-country). No these cases no new veterinary border control is required in Norway.
In Norway we have two border control stations for horses:
Gardermoen Airport (Oslo)
Tel.: (+47) 22 77 79 00
Fax: (+47) 64 82 04 01
E-mail: bipg@mattilsynet.no
Storskog (Kirkenes)
Tel.: (+47) 957 79 121
Fax: (+47) 78 99 75 00
E-mail: BIP-Storskog@mattilsynet.no
6. Transfer from the destination
The horse may not be moved from the destination in the first two days after arrival. This is because the Norwegian Food Safety Authority must be able to inspect horses and documents.
7. Register
The importer/first recipient must maintain a register of horses received and this, including health certificates, must be retained for at least ten years. The recipient is required to notify the Norwegian Food Safety Authority if the identity of the horse does not match the documents. Registers and health certificates must be presented to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority on request.
See also: Travelling with horses to and from Norway (toll.no)