Identification and registration (I&R) of Equine animals

Last checked on:
1 February 2024
Published on:
23 January 2024

Equidae born in the European Union must be identified by an identification document (passport). This must be issued in a certain period of time following the date of birth. And in any event before permanently leaving the establishment of birth. The Animal Health Regulation requires operators of establishments on which equine animals are kept to register those establishments with the competent authority.
 

Regulation for Equastian Animals 

The competent authorities of the Member States must inform the Commission and make publicly available certain information:

  • contact points for the computer databases;
  • the authorities or bodies responsible for issuing identification documents;
  • movement documents and other documents;
  • the means of identification that are to be used for each species and category and the prescribed format for the issuing of the identification documents and other documents.

This is in accordance with: 

I&R Equine animals in the Netherlands

The competent authority for I&R equine animals in the Netherlands is:
RVO
Directie Klant, Advies en Informatie
Team I&R Paard
Schepersmaat 2, 9405 TA  Assen
Postbus 322, 9400 AH  Assen

Contact:
E-mail: ienrpaard@rvo.nl
Website: www.rvo.nl (in Dutch)

Delegated bodies for registered equidae

According to Article 4.1 only the following organisations are approved to issuing single lifetime identification documents for equine animals.

Paardenpaspoort uitgevende instanties (in Dutch).

Time periods for identification 

Equidae born in the Netherlands shall be identified in accordance with Regulation 2021/963 no later than 9 months following the date of birth (Article 21.1).

Equidae kept under semi-wild conditions 

The Netherlands make use of the derogation provided in art. 31 for the following horses:
Aangewezen natuurterreinen (in Dutch).

Alternative methods of identification 

Authorisation of alternative methods of identification (Article 16.3):
The Netherlands doesn’t intend to make use of the derogation provided in art. 16.1 concerning the alternative methods of equidae identification.

Use of plastic cards, smart cards or digital applications on portable electronic devices together with the single lifetime identification documents (Article 20):
The Netherlands doesn’t intend to make use of the derogation provided in art. 20 (1 and 2) concerning using smartcards or digital applications.

Transmission of information

Transmission of information to the competent authority after the slaughter, killing, death or loss of equine animals (Article 28.2):
The contact point to receive the attestation referred to in Article 27 (1) (c) ii):

RVO
T.a.v. Team I&R Paard  
Postbus 322
9400 AH  Assen
E-mail: ienrpaard@rvo.nl

Computer databases of equine animals 

Operational rules of the computer databases of equine animals and access to data contained therein (Article 7.2 b): 

Directly find horses on our website: Zoeken chipnummer van paarden - Zoeken chipnummer

Or download our free App: App I&R dieren

Commissioned by:
  • Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature
Is this page useful?