Legal Basis
The legal basis is European animal health legislation, also known as the Animal Health Law (AHL) (in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/429), which governs the prevention and control of animal diseases. In 2021, it replaced over 50 old directives and regulations, as well as around 400 implementing acts. It covers the registration of animal keepers, biosecurity, identification, and cross-border trade.
The aim of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 is to prevent and control animal diseases transmissible to other animals or humans.
As part of the process of aligning national law with the AHL, amendments to national laws and regulations were required.
The new Regulation on the Notification of Animal Diseases (TierSeuchMeldV), which came into force in March 2026, governs the nationwide notification requirements for animal diseases. Livestock keepers, vets and laboratories must report outbreaks or suspected cases of listed diseases to the relevant local authority, which forwards the data to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMLEH) via the 'Animal Disease Notification System – TSN'. The animal diseases subject to notification are listed in four annexes to the Animal Disease Notification Ordinance (TierSeuchMeldV), each subdivided by type of animal (terrestrial, aquatic or other).