It is the exporter's responsibility to ensure that the animal meets the importing country requirements. Additional information to assist exporters with how to prepare reproductive material for export is available on the Department’s website.

Information about the process required to import reproductive material into the European Union (EU) can be found on the EU website.

The import and transit of reproductive material into the EU is strictly regulated under EU legislation and enforced by the Department through Departmental officers in the regional office from where the reproductive material is to be exported.

It is the responsibility of the exporter to use the appropriate EU health certificate and ensure that this and any accompanying declarations are in English and the appropriate language of the EU member state of the border inspection post (BIP) / border control post (BCP) where the reproductive material will enter the EU.

Note

Where an importing country issues an import permit, the exporter must ensure the animal meets any requirements in the permit.

Health certification

Australian Departmental officers will only endorse health certification for reproductive material destined to the EU if it is written in English and, where required, an official language of the EU Member State of the BIP where the animals will enter the EU.

Australian Departmental officers will not endorse health certification for reproductive material destined to the EU if only presented in a language other than English.

Health certificate

As the importing country requirements may change without advice to the Department you should check the importing country's documentation carefully at the time of preparation for export.

Bovine embryos may only be exported to the EU if collected by an Embryo Collection Team audited and approved by the Department specifically for this purpose.

There is a model health certificate intended for the movement of reproductive material from Australia to the EU. It is the responsibility of the exporter to ensure that the certificate is current.

Certificate for movement of reproductive material to the EU:

Model health certificate A – English – “BOV-OOCYTES-EMB-A-ENTRY” (DOCX 63 KB | PDF 212 KB) Bovine oocytes and embryos collected or produced, processed and stored in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 after 20 April 2021, dispatched by the embryo collection or production team by which the oocytes or embryos were collected or produced.

To complete point I.7 of the EU health certificate you will need to name the exporting country and its ISO code.

Facility and centre approvals

Bovine embryos may only be exported to the EU if collected by an Embryo Collection Team audited and approved by the Department specifically for this purpose.

The list of approved bovine embryo collection and production teams is available on the European Commission website.

Note

Any premises that wish to become EU listed must apply to the Department to be listed.

Embryo transfer veterinarian declaration

A declaration by a Department-accredited embryo transfer veterinarian is required for assessment of this export.

This template (DOCX 106 KB | PDF 299 KB) provides the format for the Embryo Transfer Veterinarian declaration (ETVD) for the export of bovine embryos (BOV-EMB-A-ENTRY) to the European Union.

This template (DOCX 78 KB | PDF 255 KB) provides the format for the Embryo Transfer Veterinarian declaration (ETVD) for the export of bovine embryos (BOV-EMB-B-ENTRY) to the European Union.

Embryo collection teams currently approved by DAFF that have provided permission for their details to be listed publicly:

Other information including the relevant EU Directives and general approval checklist can be found on the European Commission website.

Testing regimes

Operations manual

All centres/ teams intending to become approved for export to the EU must submit an Operations Manual for assessment as part of the approval process.

Contact the Department for further details.

Based on importing country website and information.

Entry last reviewed 18 February 2026.