Detect risks in customs declarations for admission of non-commercial pet animals

Customs

This algorithm helps Customs to check that non-commercial pet animals have passed their mandatory health checks in order to be allowed to enter the Union territory. Among other things, it uses declaration data from companies and selects all relevant consignments.

Last change on 2nd of April 2025, at 12:54 (CET) | Publication Standard 1.0

• Publication category: Impactful algorithms
• Impact assessment: Field not filled in.
• Status: In use

General information

Theme

Health and Healthcare

Begin date

09-2024

Contact information

[e-mail]

Link to publication website

https://belastingnet.belastingdienst.nl/cms/html/boeken/HVGEM/niet_commerciele_verkeer_van_gezelschapsdieren.html

Responsible use

Goal and impact

The purpose of this algorithm is to help Customs comply with legal obligations. Before making an import declaration, Customs must check whether the rules for non-commercial pet animals have been met. This means the conformity check and documents must first be approved.

This is a 100% check without any further risk grading.

Considerations

This algorithm helps Customs with testing whether the legally imposed obligation to do so from Delegated Reg. 2019/2122 article 11 letter d has been met in 100% of cases.

Human intervention

If a declaration yields a match with a risk profile, a customs officer reviews the declaration. And asks for more information if necessary. The decision to approve a declaration, or to start checking it, is taken by a human being.

Risk management

This algorithm helps Customs to be sure that consignments of non-commercial pet animals have passed documentary and other checks. This allows Customs to ensure that no animals are released before they are declared healthy. This is a complete check without any further risk assessment.

Legal basis

The legal basis for veterinary control is the Union Customs Code (DWU), the General Customs Act, the Animals Act and Regulation (EU) 2017/625. Regulation (EU) 576/2013 is the basis for the Non-Commercial Movement of Companion Animals. The obligation to first undergo a Conformity Check and a Document Check is included for these Companion Animals in the Delegated Regulation 2019/2122 article 11 letter d. These laws ensure that the importation of Non-Commercial Companion Animals is done properly. The use of risk profiles also relies on DWU section 46. This says customs controls must rely primarily on risk analysis by electronic data processing techniques.

Links to legal bases

• Vo. (EU) 576/2013: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/NL/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32013R0576&qid=1733484009670
• Vo. (EU) 2017/625: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/NL/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32017R0625&qid=1733478734390
• GVO 2019/2122: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/NL/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32019R2122&qid=1733483020641
• Wet Dieren: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0030250/2024-07-01
• Douanewetboek van de Unie: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/NL/TXT/PDF/?uri=celex:32013R0952

Operations

Data

By itself, the algorithm uses only the commodity code from the declarations, excluding the consignments with a decision code for a GGB. All rakings are checked by a customs colleague without any further distinction on any level.

Links to data sources

Gegevensvereisten douaneaangiften (zie Bijlage B Gedelegeerde Verordening Douanewetboek van de Unie + Bijlage VIa van de Algemene Douaneregeling): https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/bldcontentnl/belastingdienst/douane_voor_bedrijven/naslagwerken_en_overige_informatie/andere_onderwerpen/gegevensvereisten/,

Technical design

The algorithm selects 100% of the declarations in which a commodity code has been entered that may involve a non-commercial pet animal. Excluded from this algorithm are the consignments where a document code has been entered in the declaration for a corresponding GGB-A.

For each declaration concerned, Customs must first check manually whether the declaration actually refers to a non-commercial pet animal. If that is the case, they then have to make sure that an authorised health certificate has been submitted as proof with the declaration to prove that the pet animal has positively undergone the statutory conformity check and document check. If we find irregularities in this process, the consignment is selected for an extended inspection. If the endorsed health certificate is present and the details between this certificate and the customs declaration fully match then we do not stop the shipment. Or at least not on the basis of this criterion. At no point in time is a distinction made here for risk indicators other than the presence or absence of a endorsed Health Certificate, so as Customs we can never release pet animals (and allow them to enter the Union) before it has been established that those animals cannot pose a health risk within the Union.

External provider

Internally developed