Entry in the register of establishments supervised by the Veterinary Inspectorate

Do you intend to produce food of animal origin, such as cold meats or cheese? If so, register with your district veterinarian. See below how you can be entered in the register of establishments supervised by the Veterinary Inspectorate.

How to proceed

What you should know and who can use this service

You can produce and market products of animal origin if they meet the requirements of veterinary legislation. Products of animal origin:

• food of animal origin (meat and meat products, milk and dairy 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 their sourcing, rearing, manufacturing, purifying, cutting, processing, packaging or repackaging, storage and transport.

Who may be entered in the register

Register your establishment if:

• you produce food for the local market (you carry out so-called MLO business (marginal, local and limited business), you sell directly or engage in agricultural retail trade);
• your company deals with food handling (without storage);
• you produce so-called composite food, which includes both foodstuffs of non-animal origin and processed products of animal origin (e.g. milk-based ice cream powder, soups, sauces, pizza, processed and frozen meat and vegetables) that are intended for export to third markets;
• you store products of animal origin that do not have to be stored in temperature-controlled facilities;
• you have a company which deals with packaging of honey and beekeeping products – pouring them into jars of various sizes;
• you have a company that provides transport services for products of animal origin;
• you buy wild game;
• 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 project

Before you start operating, prepare a technological project of the establishment prior to obtaining a building permit for the establishment. Submit the project together with the application for its approval to the district veterinarian responsible for your planned place of business.

You do not need the technological project approval if:

• you have a fishing vessel,
• you deal with transport, primary production and agricultural retailing.

When the establishment approval is needed

You should definitely obtain your approval for your establishment if you want to sell your food not only domestically but also in EU countries and outside the EU. This includes meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, fishery products or table eggs. You can use the same application form as for registration.

When you should complete this procedure

Submit an application for entry in the register of establishments at least 30 days before the date of commencement of the planned business activity.

Where you can complete this procedure

You can complete this procedure at:

• District Veterinary Inspectorates

What to do step by step

1. Submit an application for entry in the register of establishments supervised by the Veterinary Inspectorate

Documents

Time limit

Submit an application for entry in the register of establishments at least 30 days before the date of commencement of the planned business activity.

2. The office will examine your application for formal and substantive errors

If your application contains formal irregularities (e.g. you have made an error in the application or you have not attached the required documents), then the authority will ask you to correct the errors. You have at least 7 days from receipt of the request to make corrections. If you do not correct the errors within the deadline specified by the authority, your case will not be handled.

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

Documents

How much you will have to pay

10 zł

The Authority charges a stamp duty of PLN 10 for issuing a decision on entry and assigning a veterinary identification number.

How long you will have to 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 not satisfied with the decision you received, you can file an appeal. Submit your appeal to the provincial veterinarian via the district veterinarian who issued you with the decision. You must do this within 14 days from the date of receipt of the decision.Remember also that you may choose not to appeal against the decision and pass this information on to the district veterinarian who issued the decision. If all the parties to the proceedings do this, the decision will faster become final and binding.

Good to know

The authority must be notified of changes

You are responsible for ensuring that the authority has up-to-date information about your establishment. Therefore, inform the authority of any change in activity and of any suspension of activity and closure of an existing establishment within 7 days of such change.

Fines for infringements

The district veterinarian may impose the following fines on you:

• from PLN 200 to PLN 5000 – if you produce food in an establishment that has not been entered in the register as required,
• from PLN 200 to PLN 1000 – if you place food on the market from an establishment that has not been entered in the register as required.