An upcoming EU-UK summit, scheduled for November 20 in Brussels, is set to reveal an agreement that could reintroduce pet passports, easing travel for holidaymakers with dogs, cats, and ferrets between the UK and EU. This initiative is part of a broader package aimed at strengthening cooperation, a commitment expressed by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer and continued by current PM Andy Burnham.
The agreement will encompass a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal concerning food trade, UK access to the EU electricity market, and a youth mobility scheme. The SPS component aims to eliminate checks on food and animal products, facilitating the restoration of EU pet passports for UK travelers. In return, the UK will adopt EU standards for food and animal products.
Previously, British travelers lost access to pet passports post-Brexit, requiring an Animal Health Certificate for every trip. A new statement from the UK government suggests that if the SPS agreement gains approval, pet owners could obtain a multi-use pet passport for EU travel, eliminating the need for separate certificates.
While this change is expected around mid-2027, pet owners currently need an Animal Health Certificate when traveling from Great Britain to the EU. More information on bringing pets from non-EU countries to the EU is available through relevant EU resources.
