{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2008-933/annex",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2008-933/annex.json",
  "legislation": "eur/2008/933",
  "legislation_title": "Commission Regulation (EC) No 933/2008 of 23 September 2008 amending the Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 as regards the means of identification of animals and the content of the movement documents (Text with EEA relevance)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2008-933",
  "path": "annex",
  "kind": "annex",
  "number": null,
  "heading": null,
  "text": "ANNEX\nA.\nMEANS OF IDENTIFICATION\n1.\nThe competent authority shall approve means of identification, as provided for in Article 4(1), which must be designed to:\n(a) ensure at least one visible and one electronically readable mark;\n(b) remain attached to the animal without being harmful to it; and\n(c) be easily removable from the food chain.\n2.\nThe means of identification must display a code providing the following information in the indicated order:\n(a) either the two-letter alpha code or the three-digit numeric code, based on ISO 3166, for the Member State in which the holding where the animal was first identified is situated (country code);\n(b) an individual animal code of no more than 12 digits.\nIn addition to the codes referred to in points (a) and (b), and provided that the legibility of those codes is not affected, the competent authority may authorise a bar code and the addition of supplementary information by the keeper.\n3.\nThe first means of identification referred to in Article 4(2)(a) must comply with the criteria set out in either point (a) or (b):\n(a) an electronic identifier in the form of a ruminal bolus or an electronic eartag, in accordance with the technical characteristics listed in point 6; or\n(b) an eartag made of non-degradable material, which is tamper-proof and easy to read throughout the lifetime of the animal; it must be non-reusable and the codes referred to in point 2 must be non-removable.\n4.\nThe second means of identification, as provided for in Article 4(2)(b), must comply with the following criteria:\n(a) for animals identified in accordance with point 3(a):\n(i) an eartag which complies with the criteria set out in point 3(b); or\n(ii) a mark on the pastern which complies with the criteria for eartags set out in point 3(b); or\n(iii) a tattoo, except for animals involved in intra-Community trade;\n(b) for animals identified in accordance with point 3(b):\n(i) an electronic identifier which complies with the criteria set out in point 3(a); or\n(ii) for animals not involved in intra-Community trade, an electronic identifier in the form of an electronic mark on the pastern or of an injectable transponder in accordance with the technical characteristics listed in point 6; or\n(iii) where electronic identification is not obligatory, pursuant to Article 9(3):\nan eartag, which complies with the criteria set out in point 3(b),\na mark on the pastern, which complies with the criteria for the eartags set out in point 3(b), or\na tattoo.\n5.\nThe system referred to in Article 4(2)(c) requires the identification of the animals both by holding and individually, provides for a replacement procedure where a means of identification has become illegible or has been lost, under the control of the competent authority and without compromising traceability between holdings, the objective being to control epizootic diseases, and allows the animals’ movements to be traced within the national territory, with the same objective.\n6.\nThe electronic identifiers must conform to the following technical characteristics:\n(a) they must be read-only passive transponders applying HDX or FDX-B technology, complying with ISO standards 11784 and 11785;\n(b) they must be readable by reading devices, complying with ISO standard 11785, capable of reading HDX and FDX-B transponders;\n(c) the reading distance must be:\n(i) a minimum of 12 cm for eartags and marks on the pastern when read with a portable readers;\n(ii) a minimum of 20 cm for ruminal boluses and injectable transponders when read with a portable reader;\n(iii) a minimum of 50 cm for all types of identifiers when read with a stationary reader.\n7.\nThe identification method referred to in Article 4(3), shall be as follows:\n(a) the animals must be identified by an eartag approved by the competent authority, applied to one ear;\n(b) the eartag must be of non-degradable material, tamper-proof and easy to read; it must be non-reusable and must bear only non-removable codes;\n(c) the eartag must contain at least the following information:\n(i) the two-letter country code; and\n(ii) the identification code of the holding of birth or an individual animal code from which the holding of birth can be determined.\nMember States using that alternative method must inform the Commission and the other Member States thereof, in the framework of the Committee referred to in Article 13(1).\nIf animals identified in accordance with this point are either kept beyond the age of 12 months or are intended for intra-Community trade or export to third countries and in all cases are still kept in the holding of birth, then they must be identified in accordance with points 1 to 4 before leaving that holding.\nB.\nHOLDING REGISTER\n1.\nFrom 9 July 2005, the holding register must contain at least the following information:\n(a) the identification code of the holding;\n(b) the address of the holding and the geographical coordinates or equivalent indication of the geographical location of the holding;\n(c) the type of production;\n(d) the result of the latest inventory referred to in Article 7 and the date on which it was carried out;\n(e) the name and address of the keeper;\n(f) in the case of animals leaving the holding:\n(i) the name of the transporter;\n(ii) the registration number of the part of the means of transport carrying the animals;\n(iii) the identification code or the name and address of the holding of destination or, in the case of animals moved to a slaughterhouse, the identification code or name of the slaughterhouse and the date of departure;\nor a duplicate or a certified copy of the movement document referred to in Article 6;\n(g) in the case of animals arriving on the holding, the identification code of the holding from which the animal was transferred and the date of arrival;\n(h) information on any replacement of means of identification.\n2.\nFrom 31 December 2009, the holding register must contain at least the following up-to-date information for each animal born after that date:\n(a) the identification code of the animal;\n(b) in the holding of birth, the year of birth and date of identification;\n(c) the month and the year of death of the animal on the holding;\n(d) if known, the breed and the genotype.\nHowever, for animals identified in accordance with point 7 of Section A, the information set out in (a) to (d) of this point must be provided for each batch of animals having the same identification and must include the number of animals.\n3.\nThe holding register must contain the name and signature of the designated or approved officer of the competent authority who has checked the register and the date on which the check was carried out.\nC.\nMOVEMENT DOCUMENT\n1.\nThe movement document must be completed by the keeper on the basis of a model drawn up by the competent authority. It must contain at least the following information:\n(a) the identification code of the holding;\n(b) the name and address of the keeper;\n(c) the total number of animals moved;\n(d) the identification code or the name and address of the holding of destination or of the next keeper of the animals or, when animals are moved to a slaughterhouse, the identification code or the name and location of the slaughterhouse, or, in the event of transhumance, the place of destination;\n(e) the data concerning the means of transport and the transporter, including the transporter’s permit number;\n(f) the date of departure;\n(g) the signature of the keeper.\n2.\nFrom 1 January 2011, the movement document must contain the individual identification code for each animal identified in accordance with points 1 to 6 of Section A, in addition to the information set out in point 1 of this section.\n3.\nHowever, the information provided for in point 2 shall not be obligatory for animals born until 31 December 2009:\n(a) on their movement to a slaughterhouse, directly or via a channelling procedure excluding subsequent movements to any other holding;\n(b) until 31 December 2011 for all other movements.\nD.\nCOMPUTER DATABASE\n1.\nThe computer database must contain at least the following information for each holding:\n(a) the identification code of the holding;\n(b) the address of the holding and the geographical coordinates or equivalent indication of the geographical location of the holding;\n(c) the name and address and occupation of the keeper;\n(d) the species of animals;\n(e) the type of production;\n(f) the result of the inventory of animals provided for in Article 7(2), and the date when the inventory was carried out;\n(g) a data field reserved for the competent authority in which it may enter animal health information, for example restrictions on movements, status or other relevant information in the context of Community or national programmes.\n2.\nIn accordance with Article 8, there must be an entry in the database for each separate movement of animals.\nThat entry must comprise at least the following information:\n(a) the number of animals being moved;\n(b) the identification code of the holding of departure;\n(c) the date of departure;\n(d) the identification code of the holding of arrival;\n(e) the date of arrival.",
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  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
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  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2008/933/annex",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:52:00.330227+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}