Complicated new rules for moving pets within the UK and Ireland highlight Irish Sea border ‘absurdities’
Complicated new rules about the movement of pets in and out of Northern Ireland highlight the “absurdity” of the Irish Sea border, according to the TUV – as new legislation suggests dog and cat owners will face restrictions on moving their pets both within the UK and within the island of Ireland.
Westminster looks set to approve the new rules – via a committee without a single Northern Ireland MP.
The regulations – required under the Windsor Framework – mean that pets based in NI can travel to, and return from, GB without needing a pet passport. The government has said they will not be subject to any checks. They will need to be fitted with an EU approved microchip, although it is unclear why if there are no checks.
However, pets from England, Scotland and Wales will need pet travel documents to be allowed into Northern Ireland, and anyone trying to buy – or rescue – a dog, cat or ferret from Great Britain will be treated as if they are entering the EU and face “full EU third country requirements”.
And movements to Ireland “will continue to be on the basis of EU law requirements”. How that is enforced will be a matter for the EU and Ireland.
The TUV say this shows the protocol was more about breaking up the UK than protecting the EU’s single market.
Dan Boucher, the former DUP policy director who now works for Jim Allister MP, said: “It is not surprising that something as unjust as the Irish Sea Border should begin to unravel amidst its own absurdities. It is deeply disturbing that the EU should see fit to insists on the partial disenfranchisement of 1.9 million people in relation to 300 areas of law to secure a trade border but to do so for a border that doesn’t work is extraordinary.
“And yet it plainly does not work. The phenomenon of folk coming from the Republic to Northern Ireland to buy up cheaper UK ‘Not for EU’ goods and take them home is well known. One of the most graphic absurdities, however, is brought out by the new Pet Passport Regulations laid before Parliament on 9th October and which have now been remitted to a Committee of the House of Commons without a single Northern Ireland member.
“The reason we were told there had to be a border in the Irish Sea was because there could not be a border across the island of Ireland. That now means you cannot travel from Great Britain to Northern Ireland without a pet travel document (passport), having your pet microchipped and being subject to border documentary and identity checks, while pets moving from NI to GB must be microchipped.
“However, if you read the regulations, they make it clear that if you then want to take your pet into the Republic of Ireland you are then subject to additional and more onerous border requirements. So, there can be a border across the island of Ireland after all because when you leave Northern Ireland for the Republic you are required to jump through additional hurdles. Well, in that case why do UK citizens moving with their pets from one part of the UK to another part of the UK (from GB to NI) need to be subject to any border within their own country?”
The current plans are a relaxation of draconian measures planned under the original protocol – where all pet movements into NI from the rest of the UK would face a full EU border.
Baroness Hoey has tabled a regret motion in the Lords on the matter. It criticises the decision to “treat pets travelling to Northern Ireland differently from those travelling to any other part of the United Kingdom”.
Northern Ireland’s agriculture ministry DAERA says “There will be no routine checks on the non-commercial movement of pets from GB to NI until further notice. Officials will reserve the right to undertake checks should there be a suspicion of illegal activity or welfare concerns”.
A UK Government spokesperson said: “Northern Ireland pet owners will not face any checks and will not be required to hold a pet travel document.“The Northern Ireland Pet Travel scheme will ensure that pet owners from Great Britain hold a valid pet travel document, which is free to obtain”.
GB pet owners will need to apply for a “pet travel document” which is valid for the lifetime of their pet. They will also have to sign a declaration that the pet animal will not subsequently be moved into the EU.
No requirements, beyond the need for a microchip, will be placed on NI pet owners, who will be able to travel to and from GB without the need for a pet travel document.
Under the original NI Protocol – all movement of pets from GB to NI would have been subject to full EU third country requirements.