Traveling with pets in the EU in 2026: new health requirements

Key data

If you travel with your dog, cat, or other pet within the European Union, or if you enter the EU from a third country with a companion animal, the rules have changed. The Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 establishes a new framework of specific animal health requirements for these movements, and non-compliance has direct consequences: detention or return of the animal at the border.

The regulation complements the Regulation (EU) 2016/429, the general European animal health framework, adding the specific conditions that until now were not developed for non-commercial pet travel.

What does this regulation establish?

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 regulates non-commercial movements of companion animals, both between EU Member States and from third countries to the EU. The requirements are structured around four main pillars:

The regulation introduces differentiated conditions based on two key variables: the type of companion animal and the country of origin or destination of the movement. This means that not all animals or all trips are subject to the same requirements: the specific circumstances must be verified before traveling.

The regulation is especially relevant for frequent travelers with pets and for veterinary professionals who issue travel certificates, as the latter must adapt their documentary procedures to the new protocols established.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact of this regulation is not measured in published fees or fines, but in operational costs and detention risks. The main effects are:

• Cost of documentary adaptation for veterinary clinics: Clinics issuing travel certificates must review and update their documentation models to comply with new protocols. This involves training time and possible updates to clinic management software.
• Risk of border detention: An animal traveling without correct documentation may be detained or returned. This entails animal accommodation costs, additional transport tickets, and in the worst case, quarantines.
• Cost for pet owners: Ensuring the microchip is registered, vaccines are up to date, and documentation is correct may require additional veterinary visits before each international trip.
• Impact on the veterinary sector: Veterinarians who do not update their protocols may issue invalid certificates, generating professional liability and harm to the client.

Who does it affect?

• Pet owners traveling between EU Member States with their companion animals
• Pet owners entering the EU from a third country with their animals
• Veterinary clinics and professionals issuing health travel certificates for companion animals
• Border control authorities of Member States, responsible for verifying compliance at entry points
• Frequent travelers with pets (residents in border areas, expatriates, people with second homes in another Member State)

Practical example

A Spanish family that regularly travels to France with their dog during summer must verify, before leaving, that the animal meets the three requirements of the new regulation: active and registered microchip, current rabies vaccination (and any other mandatory vaccine according to animal type), and updated health documentation in accordance with the new protocols of Regulation (EU) 2026/131.

If the family veterinarian has not updated their certificate models to the new documentary protocols, the issued certificate may not be valid before French border control authorities. The result: the animal could be detained at the border until the documentation is corrected, or directly returned to Spain.

The same applies to a person returning to Spain from a third country—for example, from Morocco—with their cat: entry conditions are regulated differently by this regulation, and requirements may differ from those applied in intra-community movements.

What should affected parties do now?

1. Pet owners: verify the microchip — Check that the animal has a microchip implanted and that it is correctly registered in the corresponding national system before any international trip.
2. Pet owners: review the vaccination schedule — Confirm with the veterinarian that all mandatory vaccines are current and that the animal meets specific requirements according to the destination or origin country of the trip.
3. Pet owners: request updated documentation — Ask the veterinarian to issue health documentation in accordance with the new protocols of Regulation (EU) 2026/131, not with previous models.
4. Veterinary clinics: update documentary protocols — Review and adapt travel certificate models to the new requirements established by the regulation. Train administrative and clinical staff on the changes.
5. Veterinary clinics: identify differentiated conditions — Know what requirements apply according to animal type and country of origin or destination, to correctly advise each client.
6. All affected parties: act without delay — The regulation has been in force since January 20, 2026. There is no pending transition period: compliance is required from that date.