Guidance

Official veterinary surgeon (OVS) notes

Changes to import controls for animals and products of animal origin.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency
Published
4 March 2025
Last updated
525 AugustJune 2025 — See all updates

Documents

5 August 2025: Import of any animal feed products containing former foodstuffs

Ref: OVS note 2025/55

HTML

5 August 2025: Known omission in certificate GBHC676 (import of aquatic animals)

Ref: OVS note: 2025/54

HTML

1 August 2025: Intermediate products – interpretation for imports

Ref: OVS note: 2025/53

HTML

24 July 2025: Lumpy skin disease in France and Italy - lifting of restrictions on certain thermised milk and milk products

Ref: OVS note: 2025/52

HTML

24 July 2025: Lifting of HPAI-related restrictions from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Ref: OVS note: 2025/51

HTML

10 July 2025: Outbreaks of lumpy skin disease in France and Italy

Ref: OVS note: 2025/50

HTML

9 July 2025: Lifting of HPAI-related restrictions from the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul

Ref: OVS note: 2025/49 

HTML

1 July 2025: Outbreak of lumpy skin disease in France

Ref: OVS note 2025/48

HTML

26 June 2025: Outbreak of lumpy skin disease in Italy

Ref: OVS note: 2025/47

HTML

26 June 2025: Outbreak of sheep and goat pox in Romania

Ref: OVS note: 2025/46

HTML

26 June 2025: Frogs’ legs and snails

Ref: OVS note 2025/45

HTML

25 June 2025: Outbreak of lumpy skin disease in Italy

Ref: OVS note: 2025/44

HTML

24 June 2025: Lifting of FMD-related commercial import restrictions for Austria

Ref: OVS note: 2025/43

HTML

16 June 2025: outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Eswatini

Ref: OVS note: 2025/42

HTML

10 June 2025: Outbreak of peste des petits ruminants in Albania

HTML

6 June 2025: Outbreak of peste des petits ruminants in Albania

Ref: OVS note: 2025/40

HTML

30 May 2025: Removal of classical swine fever restrictions on certain Bulgarian products

Ref: OVS note: 2025/39

HTML

27 May 2025: How trading partners should complete certain GB health certificates

Ref: OVS note: 2025/38

HTML

22 May 2025: Approval of France’s HPAI vaccination programme for commercial ducks

Ref: OVS note: 2025/37

HTML

20 May 2025: Importation of products of animal origin (POAO) from China

Ref: OVS note 2025/36

HTML

19 May 2025: Outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Brazil

Ref: OVS note 2025/35

HTML

14 May 2025: Recognition of foot-and-mouth disease freedom for Germany

Ref: OVS note 2025/34

HTML

1 May 2025: Quarterly updates to GB model export health certificates for animals and animal products

Ref: OVS note 2025/33

HTML

30 April 2025: Optional use of importer declarations for certain ABPs from EU countries

Ref: OVS note 2025/32

HTML

23 April 2025: Update on import restrictions related to bovine offal from Japan due to an outbreak of lumpy skin disease

Ref: OVS note 2025/31

HTML

17 April 2025: Restrictions on the import of bovine embryos from Israel due to ongoing outbreaks of foot and mouth disease

Ref: OVS note 2025/30 

HTML

11 April 2025: controls on personal imports from the EU single market area of meat and dairy products from FMD-susceptible animals

Ref: OVS note 2025/29

HTML

11 April 2025: insertion of closing dates in Austria’s entry in the 'fresh meat of ungulates' list following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease

Ref: OVS note 2025/28

HTML

4 April 2025: amendments to import information note ABP/26

Ref: OVS note 2025/27

HTML

31 March 2025: Supporting documentation for imports of certain animal by-products originating from Germany

Ref: OVS note 2025/26

HTML

27 March 2025: Restrictions on FMD-susceptible commodities from Austria

Ref: OVS note 2025/25

HTML

27 March 2025: Personal imports of products from FMD-susceptible animals from certain third countries and territories

Ref: OVS note 2025/24

HTML

24 March 2025: Regionalisation of Germany for imports of commodities from FMD-susceptible animals

Ref: OVS note 2025/23

HTML

14 March 2025: Recognition of controlled housing conditions for EU member states

Ref: OVS note 2025/22

HTML

14 March 2025: Insertion of closing dates in Hungary's and Slovakia's entries in the 'fresh meat of ungulates' list following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Hungary

Ref: OVS note 2025/21

HTML

7 March 2025: Personal imports of products from FMD-susceptible animals from certain third countries and territories

Ref: OVS note 2025/20

HTML

7 March 2025: Outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Hungary

Ref: OVS note 2025/19

HTML

20 February 2025: Change in the border target operating model (BTOM) risk category

Ref: OVS note 2025/18

HTML

17 February 2025: GBHC676 versions and use by dates

Ref: OVS note 2025/17

HTML

17 February 2025: Implementation period for GBHC620 and GBHC621 and quarterly certificate update

Ref: OVS note 2025/16

HTML

13 February 2025: Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Bosnia and Herzegovina (OVS note 2025/15)

PDF, 136 KB, 2 pages

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7 February 2025: Changes to management of approved country lists for imports of animal by-products and certain products of animal origin (OVS note 2025/14)

PDF, 99.3 KB, 3 pages

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6 February 2025: Restrictions on animal by-products following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Germany (OVS note 2025/13)

PDF, 156 KB, 6 pages

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3 February 2025: personal import restrictions on certain sheep and goat commodities from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands and Greenland due to outbreaks of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) (OVS note 2025/12)

PDF, 35.4 KB, 2 pages

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3 February 2025: Outbreak of peste des petits ruminants in Hungary (OVS note 2025/11)

PDF, 83.3 KB, 2 pages

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29 January 2025: Outbreak of peste des petits ruminants in Hungary (OVS note 2025/10)

PDF, 130 KB, 2 pages

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30 January 2025: Foot and mouth disease in Germany – risk mitigating treatments for meat and dairy products (OVS note 2025/09)

PDF, 141 KB, 4 pages

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29 January 2025: Insertion of closing dates in Germany's entry in the 'fresh meat of ungulates' list following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Germany (OVS note 2025/08)

PDF, 131 KB, 2 pages

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17 January 2025: Imports of animal casings – review of rules/import conditions (OVS note 2025/06)

PDF, 128 KB, 3 pages

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17 January 2025: Imports of untreated wool and hair – review of rules/import conditions (OVS note 2025/05)

PDF, 165 KB, 5 pages

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16 January 2025: Personal imports of products from FMD susceptible animals from certain third countries and territories (OVS note 2025/04)

PDF, 89.9 KB, 3 pages

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14 January 2025: Changes to imports of display items and non-harmonised ABP from EU and EFTA member states, and update on import of research and diagnostic samples from Germany, following confirmation of FMD in Germany (OVS note 2025/03)

PDF, 170 KB, 2 pages

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14 January 2025: Outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Germany (OVS note 2025/02)

PDF, 136 KB, 3 pages

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6 January 2025: General import authorisations and licences for animal by-products (OVS note 2025/01)

PDF, 184 KB, 2 pages

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Details

Official

18 veterinaryDecember surgeon2024: notesOutbreak (OVSof peste des petits ruminants in Bulgaria (OVS note 2024/60)

PDF, notes)47.6 containKB, details3 ofpages

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13 December 2024: Import authorisations for OVSimports notesof byanimal clickingby-products from the ‘GetEU emailsand aboutEFTA thismember page’states linkfrom at1 theFebruary top2025 (OVS note 2024/59)

PDF, 150 KB, 2 pages

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Older

12 OVSDecember 2024: Outbreak of peste des petits ruminants Bulgaria (OVS note 2024/58)

PDF, notes89.8 areKB, available2 onpages

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5 December 2024: Outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in New Zealand (OVS note 2024/57)

PDF, 83.1 KB, 2 pages

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Updates

3 toDecember 2024: Outbreak of peste des petits ruminants in Bulgaria (OVS note 2024/56)

PDF, 34.8 KB, 2 pages

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Published

4 December 2024: Outbreak of lumpy skin disease in Japan (OVS note 2024/55)

PDF, 94.5 KB, 3 pages

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4 MarchDecember 20252024: Guidance for completion of certificates: GBHC352 for meat products; and GBHC330 for fresh poultry meat (OVS note 2024/54)

PDF, 313 KB, 7 pages

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Last

2 updatedDecember 52024: AugustOutbreak 2025of bluetongue in Poland (OVS note 2024/53)

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26 November 2024: Outbreak of bluetongue virus in Poland (OVS note 2024/52)

PDFhide, all79.1 updates"KB, href="#full-history">+2 pagesshow

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13 AugustNovember 2025

Added2024: OVSOutbreak of lumpy skin disease in Japan (OVS note 2025/55:2024/51)

PDF, Import87.4 KB, 2 pages

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13 November 2024: Check rates for medium risk animal feedby-products productsimported containingusing formergeneral foodstuffs.

  • Addedimport OVSauthorisations (OVS note 2025/54:2024/50)

    • PDF, Known156 omissionKB, 2 pages

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    13 November 2024: Import of aquaticorganic animals)fertilisers and soil improvers (OVS note 2024/49)

    PDF, 142 KB, 1 page

    • 12 November 2024: Import of trade samples (animal by-products) (OVS note 2024/48)

    PDF, 141 KB, 1 Augustpage

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    31 October 2024: Outbreak of small hive beetle in Sicily, Italy (OVS note 2025/53:2024/47)

    PDF, Intermediate41.9 KB, 2 pages

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    30 October 2024: Changes to treatment requirements for imports of porcine meat products –from interpretationareas of European Union Member States with outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) in wild boar (OVS note 2024/46)

    PDF, 133 KB, 2 pages

    This file may not be suitable for imports.users of assistive technology.

    • 17 October 2024: US highly pathogenic avian influenza regionalisation (OVS note 2025/51:2024/45)

    PDF, lifting200 KB, 6 pages

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    10 October 2024: Guidance for completion of certificates: GBHC352 for meat products; and OVSGBHC330 for fresh poultry meat (OVS note 2025/52:2024/44)

    PDF, lumpy290 skinKB, disease5 inpages

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    26 September 2024: Increased restrictions on certainpersonal thermisedimports milkof pork and milkpork products.

  • Addedthe OVSEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands and Greenland to Great Britain (GB) due to African Swine Fever (ASF) (OVS note 2025/50:2024/43)

    • PDF, Outbreaks40.7 KB, 2 pages

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    • 17 September 2024: Outbreak of bluetongue in Austria (OVS note 2025/49:2024/42)

    PDF, Lifting78.4 KB, 2 pages

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    16 September 2024: Outbreak of bluetongue in Austria (OVS note 2024/40)

    PDF, 79.9 KB, 2 pages

    • 17 September 2024: Import of former foodstuffs directly to pet food manufacturers (OVS note 2024/41)

    PDF, 141 KB, 2 Julypages

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    11 September 2024: Outbreak of bluetongue in Czechia and Norway (OVS note 2025/48:2024/39)

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    10 September 2024: Outbreak of lumpysheep skinpox diseaseand goat pox in France.Bulgaria (OVS note 2024/38)

    PDF, 100 KB, 2 pages

    • 9 September 2024: Outbreak of bluetongue virus in Czechia and Norway (OVS note 2025/46:2024/37)

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    5 September 2024: Outbreak of sheep pox and goat pox in RomaniaBulgaria (OVS note 2024/36)

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    Details

    Official veterinary surgeon notes (OVS notenotes) 2025/47:contain Outbreakdetails of lumpychanges skinto diseaseimport incontrols Italy.for animals and products of animal origin.

    • Updates to this page

    Published 4 March 2025
    Last updated 25 June 2025 href="#full-history">+ show all updates

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