Pets from Montenegro to the EU without a rabies test

The Directorate for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs has received a notification from the European Commission stating that Montenegro meets the requirements for inclusion on the list of third countries, and that the European Commission will initiate the necessary legal procedure to include Montenegro on the aforementioned list, in accordance with Article 13(2) of EU Regulation No. 576/13, which relates to the non-commercial movement of pet animals.

This decision simplifies procedures for the movement of pet animals to countries of the European Union, specifically by abolishing rabies antibody titration tests. In addition to facilitating non-commercial movement, it enables a simplified procedure for adopting pets from Montenegro. The decision will also have a significant impact on tourism, as visitors travelling with pets will be subject to the same rules as those in EU countries.

In 2022, Montenegro was the only country in the region to submit the necessary documentation demonstrating the absence of the rabies virus, and its self-declaration as a country free from this virus was published on the website of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on 8 September 2022. https://www.woah.org/app/uploads/2022/11/2022-09-montenegro-rabies-selfd.pdf