Procedure for exporting pets from Spain simplified

Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (MAPA) and the General Council of Veterinary Colleges of Spain (CGCVE) have agreed and specified the improvements to be implemented to simplify the use by veterinary centres of the CEXGAN 2 platform, in order to simplify the process of exporting pets from Spain.

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Following protests over the “cumbersome and complicated” nature of the new system created so that clinics that so wish can process —instead of PIF’s— requests for pet export certificates to third countries, and after the protest letter that, among others, elevated the College of Veterinarians of Valencia (ICOVV) to the CGCVE for this reason, the national collegiate entity entered into conversations with the Import and Border Control Area of ​​the Ministry of Agriculture.

In July, a questionnaire was sent to the members of the entire country to detect the main complaints and anomalies in its operation and, after several “fruitful” meetings —as explained by the counsellor María Luisa Fernández Miguel, responsible for Small Animals of the CGCVE— MAPA has agreed with it on the lines of action that it will develop in the short/medium term to make the application easier.

Thus, the Ministry has committed to creating a single list with all the countries/species, in which the requirements can be quickly consulted, the type of certificate (or passport) necessary, if it is electronic, as well as the observations. This list can provide the basic information in a more agile way and without the need to consult various documents.

It has also been agreed to make the notes and extra documents required easier, both for pet owners and for the veterinarians.

The commitments made also include the drafting of a ‘step-by-step’ guide so that veterinarians —especially those who are not used to doing these steps— know how to request the issuance of these certificates.

Along with this, the CGCVE also undertakes to carry out new explanatory conferences and follow -up to detect possible points of improvement.

So that veterinarians can check when the Animal Health Service has reviewed and validated all the documentation, a procedure will be created so that it can have feedback on such a thing. This would make it possible to consider the negotiations closed and avoid misunderstandings with clients.

On the other hand, to avoid having to attach documents that cannot yet be obtained online, all the required certificates will be made online. In the same way, you want to avoid having to issue the so-called ‘green certificate’ on paper. The Veterinary Health Certificate can thus be obtained digitally, and it will not be necessary to print it.