How a no-deal Brexit could mess up your dog's holiday to France
The warning notices abut the impact a no-deal Brexit will have on the lives of British citizens (and their dogs) are coming thick and fast with the latest concerning holidaymakers who want to take their pets to France.
In recent weeks the British government has been ramping up its warnings about how a no-deal Brexit will impact the lives of its citizens living in the UK and throughout the EU.
In a series of impact notices the government has warned that UK citizens in the EU face losing access to the bank accounts back home, seeing the British driving licences become invalid and in the worst case scenario being unable to fly between France and the UK after Brexit day.
This week the government warned that holidaymakers who want to take their pets on a trip to France and other EU countries that will have to start preparing months in advance if there's no amicable divorce settlement between London and Brussels.
The paper warns that the current EU Pet Passport program which allows owners to take dogs, cats and ferrets to another EU country as long as it has a microchip and a rabies vaccination would end.
READ ALSO: Britons in France must start preparing for the worst
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Under the current scheme pet owners only have to take their animal to a vet at least 21 days before they travel but the event of a no-deal Brexit that appointment would have to be made months in advance.
This is what the government warns will happen after March 29th, 2019 if there's no deal:
"If the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 with no deal, it would become a third country for the purposes of the EU Pet Travel Scheme.
"Pets would continue to be able to travel from the UK to the EU, but the requirements for documents and health checks would differ depending on what category of third country the UK becomes on the day we leave the EU. Within the Pet Travel Scheme, there are three categorisations of ‘third country’, linked to a country’s animal health status: ‘listed: Part 1’, ‘listed: Part 2’, or ‘unlisted’.
"Third countries apply to the European Commission to be listed under Part 1 or Part 2 of Annex II to EU Pet Travel Regulations. A small number of countries and territories are Part 1 listed, which means they operate under the same EU Pet Travel Scheme rules as EU member states. The majority of countries are Part 2 listed, which means additional conditions, such as the use of temporary health certificates. If a country has not applied or been accepted as a Part 1 or Part 2 listed country, it is an unlisted third country, and owners must take some specific actions several months before they wish to travel.
"We are seeking technical discussions with the European Commission to allow the UK to become a listed third country on the day we leave the EU. We will continue to press the Commission to discuss this option with us. However, to allow effective contingency planning, this notice explains the impacts of all three different types of third country status in terms of the EU Pet Travel Scheme."
So everything would depend on what kind of country the UK is listed as after Brexit. Pet owners will be hoping it will be as a Part 1 listed country.
The government added: "Should the UK become an unlisted third country, pet owners intending to travel with their pet from the UK to EU countries would need to discuss preparations for their pet’s travel with an Official Veterinarian (OV) at least four months in advance of the date they wish to travel. This means pet owners intending to travel to the EU on 30 March 2019 would need to discuss requirements with their vet before the end of November 2018."
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In recent weeks the British government has been ramping up its warnings about how a no-deal Brexit will impact the lives of its citizens living in the UK and throughout the EU.
In a series of impact notices the government has warned that UK citizens in the EU face losing access to the bank accounts back home, seeing the British driving licences become invalid and in the worst case scenario being unable to fly between France and the UK after Brexit day.
This week the government warned that holidaymakers who want to take their pets on a trip to France and other EU countries that will have to start preparing months in advance if there's no amicable divorce settlement between London and Brussels.
The paper warns that the current EU Pet Passport program which allows owners to take dogs, cats and ferrets to another EU country as long as it has a microchip and a rabies vaccination would end.
READ ALSO: Britons in France must start preparing for the worst
Under the current scheme pet owners only have to take their animal to a vet at least 21 days before they travel but the event of a no-deal Brexit that appointment would have to be made months in advance.
This is what the government warns will happen after March 29th, 2019 if there's no deal:
"If the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 with no deal, it would become a third country for the purposes of the EU Pet Travel Scheme.
"Pets would continue to be able to travel from the UK to the EU, but the requirements for documents and health checks would differ depending on what category of third country the UK becomes on the day we leave the EU. Within the Pet Travel Scheme, there are three categorisations of ‘third country’, linked to a country’s animal health status: ‘listed: Part 1’, ‘listed: Part 2’, or ‘unlisted’.
"Third countries apply to the European Commission to be listed under Part 1 or Part 2 of Annex II to EU Pet Travel Regulations. A small number of countries and territories are Part 1 listed, which means they operate under the same EU Pet Travel Scheme rules as EU member states. The majority of countries are Part 2 listed, which means additional conditions, such as the use of temporary health certificates. If a country has not applied or been accepted as a Part 1 or Part 2 listed country, it is an unlisted third country, and owners must take some specific actions several months before they wish to travel.
"We are seeking technical discussions with the European Commission to allow the UK to become a listed third country on the day we leave the EU. We will continue to press the Commission to discuss this option with us. However, to allow effective contingency planning, this notice explains the impacts of all three different types of third country status in terms of the EU Pet Travel Scheme."
So everything would depend on what kind of country the UK is listed as after Brexit. Pet owners will be hoping it will be as a Part 1 listed country.
The government added: "Should the UK become an unlisted third country, pet owners intending to travel with their pet from the UK to EU countries would need to discuss preparations for their pet’s travel with an Official Veterinarian (OV) at least four months in advance of the date they wish to travel. This means pet owners intending to travel to the EU on 30 March 2019 would need to discuss requirements with their vet before the end of November 2018."
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