IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS AND HATCHING EGGS [ S.L.36.39 1 SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 36.39 IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS AND HATCHING EGGS REGULATIONS 22nd April, 1997 LEGAL NOTICE 48 of
- The title of these Regulations is Importation of Poultry Chicks and Hatching Eggs Regulations. Title.
- In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires - Interpretation. "hatching eggs" means eggs which are intended to be used for hatching which have been laid by poultry; "Director" means the Director responsible for the veterinary service and includes any officer of the department duly authorised by the Director to act on his behalf; "poultry chick" means the young offspring of poultry being under three days old and weighing under 185 grams and that has not been fed; "poultry" means fowl, turkeys, geese, ducks, guinea fowls, domestic and racing pigeons, quails, pheasants and partridges. 3.
(1)Any person who intends to import hatching eggs and poultry chicks into Malta shall, not later than twenty-four hours before the proposed time of import, give to the Director a written notice in the form set out in the Second Schedule to these Regulations. Notice to Director.
(2)The Director may, at his discretion, accept such shorter notice as he may deem reasonable.
(3)The Director may also order that the quantity of hatching eggs and poultry chicks to be imported shall be limited to such number as he may determine after taking into account the capacity of the importer’s hatchery or breeding stock farm.
(4)The importer may import a smaller quantity than that shown in the notice mentioned in paragraph
(5)of the First Schedule to these Regulations. 4. For the purposes of these Regulations the following categories of chicks shall be distinguished as follows: (
- a)table chicks (chicks to be fattened and slaughtered before reaching sexual maturity); (
- b)egg production chicks (chicks intended to be reared for the production of eggs for consumption); (
- c)dual purpose chicks; (
- d)parent stock chicks (intended for the production of commercial hatching eggs); Categories of chicks. 2 [ S.L.36.39 IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS AND HATCHING EGGS (
- e)grandparent stock chicks (all chicks commercial or parent stocks chicks). Offences and penalties. Cap. 36. Import conditions. except 5. Whosoever shall import or attempt to import into Malta or shall sell, expose, keep or offer for sale or otherwise deal in, or supply to any person in his service under a contractual obligation, any hatching eggs or poultry chicks in contravention of these Regulations, or shall obstruct or refuse to permit the inspection, verification, or the taking of samples, or shall refuse to give any information or to produce any document required by the controlling officer or shall otherwise commit any breach of the provisions of these Regulations, shall be guilty of an offence against the provisions of Parts II and III of the Prevention of Disease Ordinance. 6. Hatching eggs and day old chicks shall satisfy the conditions set out in the First Schedule to these Regulations. FIRST SCHEDULE Rules regulating the Importation of Hatching Eggs and Day Old Chicks
(1)Hatching eggs shall be individually marked by the producer using indelible black ink. The mark shall indicate the establishment of origin and the batch number in figures at least 2mm high and 1mm wide.
(2)Hatching eggs shall be packed in perfectly clean packs containing only hatching eggs of the same species, category and type of poultry originating in one establishment and bearing at least the words "EGGS FOR HATCHING" printed in indelible black ink. The letters must be at least twenty
(20)millimetres high and ten
(10)millimetres wide.
(3)Unmarked hatching eggs may be accepted if these are packed in perfectly clean packs sealed with a tamper-proof label. The label shall be marked using indelible black ink in figures at least twenty
(20)millimetres high and ten
(10)millimetres wide and must contain the following information: (
- a)the number-of hatching eggs; (
- b)the species; (
- c)the registration number of the establishment of origin; (
- d)the name and address of the establishment; (
- e)the date of packing.
(4)The packs used for the transport of chicks must contain chicks of the same species, category and type of poultry produced by the same hatchery. Each pack must be marked with the following information: (
- a)the species; (
- b)the country of origin; IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS AND HATCHING EGGS [ S.L.36.39 (
- c)the name and address of supplier.
(5)Each consignment of hatching eggs or chicks shall be accompanied by an import licence and a document showing at least the following details: (
- a)name and address of establishment; (
- b)its registration number; (
- c)number of eggs or chicks sent, classified by species, category and type; (
- d)date of dispatch; (
- e)name and address of consignee. A copy of this document shall be consigned to the veterinary service division on arrival. The number of chicks and eggs to be imported shall be limited to hatchery/breeding stock farm capacity.
(6)Each consignment of hatching eggs or chicks shall be accompanied by an international zoo sanitary certificate containing the following information, and any other information or assurances listed by the veterinary services. (This certificate as per following model shall be consigned to the veterinary services division on arrival). I. Name of exporting country Ministry of Department of Province, District, etc. II. Identification of poultry chicks or hatching eggs Number Mark Species Breed III. Origin Name and address of origin establishment or hatchery of origin Name and address of exporter IV. Destination Country Name and address of consignee Nature and identification of means of transport Type of containers V. The sanitary information required is a certification by official veterinary that the chicks or eggs come from an establishment or hatchery which is regularly inspected and that satisfy the following requirements: 3 4 IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS AND HATCHING EGGS [ S.L.36.39 (
- a)farm of origin has been free from fowl cholera, mycoplasmosis and salmonellosis during the 90 days prior to export; (
- b)no outbreak of Newcastle disease and fowl plague has been confirmed in poultry at the farm of origin or within a radius of 10 kilometres during the six months prior to export; (
- c)eggs have been disinfected according to O.I.E. procedures; (
- d)parent stock is vaccinated using a vaccination programme approved by the veterinary authorities of the country of origin; (
- e)date and locality of issue; (
- f)name and address of veterinarian; (
- g)signature and stamp. SECOND SCHEDULE (I) Notice of Intention to Import Hatching Eggs or Poultry Chicks Name of importer .............................................................. Name and address of establishment .................................... .......................................................................................... Registration Number ......................................................... (II) Notice in respect of Hatching Eggs (Fill in this part if applicable) Number to be imported ...................................................... Species: Hen Duck Category: .......................................................................... Type: ................................................................................. (III) Notice in respect of Poultry Chicks (Fill in this part if applicable) Number to be imported ...................................................... Species: Fowl Duck Turkey Guinea fowl Goose Category: A Table chicks B Egg production chicks C Dual purpose chicks D Parent stock chicks IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS AND HATCHING EGGS E [ S.L.36.39 Grandparent stock chicks Type: ................................................................................. (IV) (To be filled in either case) Country of origin: ............................................................. Name and address of consignee: ........................................ .......................................................................................... Details of Vessel/Aircraft by means of which to be imported .......................................................................................... Anticipated date and time of arrival .................................... (V) Signature of importer ....................................................... Date and time .................................................................... 5