Entry in the register of establishments subject to Veterinary Inspection

Do you want to produce food of animal origin, e. g. cold meats or cheese? If this is the case, register it with your district veterinarian. See below for details on how you can obtain entry in the register of establishments supervised by the Veterinary Inspection.

How to handle a matter

What you should know and who can benefit from the service

You can produce and market products of animal origin if they comply with veterinary legislation. Products of animal origin are

• food of animal origin (meat and meat products, milk and milk products, fishery products, eggs and egg products), including honey and blood,
• live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and edible marine gastropods, and
• other animals delivered live to customers.

The production of such products includes the following: extraction, rearing, manufacture, purification, cutting, processing, packaging or repackaging, storage and transport.

Who may obtain an entry

Register your establishment if:

• you produce food for the local market (you run the so-called MLO business - marginal, local and limited, you have direct sales or agricultural retail trade);
• your company deals with food handling (without storage);
• you produce so-called composite foods, consisting of both foodstuffs of non-animal origin and processed products of animal origin (e. g. ice-cream based on powdered milk, soups, sauces, pizza, meat and vegetable products) which are intended for export to third country markets;
• you store animal products that do not have to be stored in temperature-controlled premises;
• you have a company for the packaging of honey and beekeeping products - pouring them into jars of various sizes;
• you have a company that provides services for the transport of food of animal origin;
• buy game meat;
• you have a laying hen farm or buy table eggs from producers;
• you process edible land snails that do not require approval;
• you have a fishing vessel which is not a cold store, freezer or factory vessel

Technological design

Before you start operating before you get permission to build an establishment, prepare a technological project of the plant. Submit the project together with an application for approval to the district veterinarian, who will be subject to your planned business location.

You do not need project approval if:

• you have a fishing vessel,
• you are involved in transport, primary production and agricultural retail trade.

When approval of establishment is needed

It is essential to get establishment approval if you want to sell food not only on the national market, but also in EU countries and outside the EU. These are products such as meat and meat products, milk and milk products, fishery products or table eggs. You can use the same application form as for registration.

When should you handle the matter

Application for entry in the Register of Establishments shall be filed at least 30 days before the date of commencement of planned operations.

Where you can handle the matter

The service can be handled at:

• District Veterinary Inspectorates

What to do step by step

1. Apply for entry in the register of establishments subject to Veterinary Inspection

Documents

Time limit

Application for entry in the Register of Establishments shall be filed at least 30 days before the date of commencement of planned operations.

2. The Office will check your application formally and substantially

If your application contains formal deficiencies (e. g. you have made a mistake in the application or if you have not attached the necessary documents), the office will call you to correct the errors. You have at least 7 days from the date of receiving the request for correction. If you do not correct the errors within the time limit set by the office, your case will not be resolved.

3. The Office will enter your establishment in the register and assign a veterinary identification number.

Documents

How much will you pay

10 zł

The office shall collect a stamp duty of PLN 10 for issuing a decision on the entry and assignment of a veterinary identification number.

How long will you wait

Your case will be settled within one month. This period may be extended to two months, subject to notification by the official.

How can you appeal

If you are dissatisfied with the decision you received, you can appeal against it. Submit an appeal to the voivodeship veterinarian via a district veterinarian who gave you a decision. You have 14 days from the date of receipt.
Please also note that you may opt out of appealing against the decision and forward this information to the district veterinarian who issued the decision. If all parties involved in the proceedings do so, the decision will become legally binding sooner.

It is good to know

Inform the office of changes

It is your responsibility to ensure that the office has up-to-date information about your company. Therefore, inform the Authority of any change in activity and of any suspension or closure of an existing establishment within 7 days of the change.

Penalties for infringements

The district veterinarian can impose the following fines on you:

• from 200 to PLN 5000 - if you produce food in an establishment that has no required entry,
• from 200 to 1000 PLN - if you place food on the market from an establishment that has no required entry.