IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS
AND HATCHING EGGS ġ S.L.36.39 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 36.39
IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS AND 
HATCHING EGGS REGULATIONS
22nd April, 1997
LEGAL NOTICE 48 of 1997.
Title.
Chicks and Hatching Eggs Regulations.
Interpretation.
requires- 
"hatching eggs" means eggs which are intended to be used for
hatching which have been laid by poultry;
"Director" means the Director responsible for the veterinary
service and includes any officer of the department duly authorised
by the Director to act on his behalf;
"poultry chick" means the young offspring of poultry being
under three days old and weighing under 185 grams and that has
not been fed;
"poultry" means fowl, turkeys, geese, ducks, guinea fowls,
domestic and racing pigeons, quails, pheasants and partridges. 
Notice to Director.
poultry chicks into Malta shall, not later than twenty-four hours
before the proposed time of import, give to the Director a written
notice in the form set out in the Second Schedule to these
Regulations.
(2) The Director may, at his discretion, accept such shorter
notice as he may deem reasonable.
(3) The Director may also order that the quantity of hatching
eggs and poultry chicks to be imported shall be limited to such
number as he may determine after taking into account the capacity
of the importer’s hatchery or breeding stock farm.
(4) The importer may import a smaller quantity than that shown
in the notice mentioned in paragraph (5) of the First Schedule to
these Regulations.
Categories of 
chicks.
4. For the purposes of these Regulations the following
categories of chicks shall be distinguished as follows:
( a )  table chicks (chicks to be fattened and slaughtered
before reaching sexual maturity);
( b ) egg production chicks (chicks intended to be reared for
the production of eggs for consumption);
( c ) dual purpose chicks;
( d ) parent stock chicks (intended for the production of
commercial hatching eggs);
2 ġ S.L.36.39
IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS
AND HATCHING EGGS
( e ) grandparent stock chicks (all chicks except
commercial or parent stocks chicks).
Offences and 
penalties. 
Cap. 36.
5. Whosoever shall import or attempt to import into Malta or
shall sell, expose, keep or offer for sale or otherwise deal in, or
supply to any person in his service under a contractual obligation,
any hatching eggs or poultry chicks in contravention of these
Regulations, or shall obstruct or refuse to permit the inspection,
verification, or the taking of samples, or shall refuse to give any
information or to produce any document required by the controlling
officer or shall otherwise commit any breach of the provisions of
these Regulations, shall be guilty of an offence against the
provisions of Parts II and III of the Prevention of Disease
Ordinance.
Import conditions.  6. Hatching eggs and day old chicks shall satisfy the
conditions set out in the First Schedule to these Regulations.
FIRST SCHEDULE
Rules regulating the Importation of Hatching Eggs and Day Old 
Chicks
(1) Hatching eggs shall be individually marked by the
producer using indelible black ink. The mark shall indicate the
establishment of origin and the batch number in figures at least
2mm high and 1mm wide.
(2) Hatching eggs shall be packed in perfectly clean packs
containing only hatching eggs of the same species, category and
type of poultry originating in one establishment and bearing at least
the words "EGGS FOR HATCHING" printed in indelible black ink.
The letters must be at least twenty (20) millimetres high and ten
(10) millimetres wide.
(3) Unmarked hatching eggs may be accepted if these are
packed in perfectly clean packs sealed with a tamper-proof label.
The label shall be marked using indelible black ink in figures at
least twenty (20) millimetres high and ten (10) millimetres wide
and must contain the following information:
( a ) the number-of hatching eggs;
( b ) the species;
( c ) the registration number of the establishment of origin;
( d ) the name and address of the establishment;
( e ) the date of packing.
(4) The packs used for the transport of chicks must contain
chicks of the same species, category and type of poultry produced
by the same hatchery. Each pack must be marked with the
following information:
( a ) the species;
( b ) the country of origin;
IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS
AND HATCHING EGGS ġ S.L.36.39 3
( c ) the name and address of supplier.
(5) Each consignment of hatching eggs or chicks shall be
accompanied by an import licence and a document showing at least
the following details:
( a ) name and address of establishment;
( b ) its registration number;
( c ) number of eggs or chicks sent, classified by species,
category and type;
( d ) date of dispatch;
( e ) name and address of consignee.
A copy of this document shall be consigned to the
veterinary service division on arrival. The number of chicks and
eggs to be imported shall be limited to hatchery/breeding stock
farm capacity.
(6) Each consignment of hatching eggs or chicks shall be
accompanied by an international zoo sanitary certificate containing
the following information, and any other information or assurances
listed by the veterinary services.
(This certificate as per following model shall be consigned
to the veterinary services division on arrival).
I. Name of exporting country
Ministry of
Department of 
Province, District, etc.
II.  Identification of poultry chicks or hatching eggs
Number 
Mark 
Species 
Breed
III. Origin
Name and address of origin establishment or hatchery
of origin
Name and address of exporter
IV.  Destination
Country
Name and address of consignee
Nature and identification of means of transport
Type of containers
V. The sanitary information required is a certification by
official veterinary that the chicks or eggs come from
an establishment or hatchery which is regularly
inspected and that satisfy the following requirements:
4 ġ S.L.36.39
IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS
AND HATCHING EGGS
( a ) farm of origin has been free from fowl cholera,
mycoplasmosis and salmonellosis during the 90
days prior to export;
( b ) no outbreak of Newcastle disease and fowl
plague has been confirmed in poultry at the farm
of origin or within a radius of 10 kilometres
during the six months prior to export;
( c ) eggs have been disinfected according to O.I.E.
procedures;
( d ) parent stock is vaccinated using a vaccination
programme approved by the veterinary
authorities of the country of origin;
( e ) date and locality of issue;
( f ) name and address of veterinarian; 
( g ) signature and stamp.
SECOND SCHEDULE
(I) Notice of Intention to Import Hatching Eggs or Poultry
Chicks
Name of importer ..............................................................
Name and address of establishment ....................................
..........................................................................................
Registration Number .........................................................
(II) Notice in respect of Hatching Eggs  (Fill in this part if
applicable)
Number to be imported ......................................................
Species: Hen Duck
Category: ..........................................................................
Type: .................................................................................
(III) Notice in respect of Poultry Chicks (Fill in this part if
applicable)
Number to be imported ......................................................
Species:  Fowl  Duck
Turkey  Guinea fowl
Goose
Category: 
A Table chicks
B  Egg production chicks 
C  Dual purpose chicks
D  Parent stock chicks
IMPORTATION OF POULTRY CHICKS
AND HATCHING EGGS ġ S.L.36.39 5
E  Grandparent stock chicks 
Type: .................................................................................
(IV)   (To be filled in either case)
Country of origin: .............................................................
Name and address of consignee: ........................................
..........................................................................................
Details of Vessel/Aircraft by means of which to be imported
..........................................................................................
Anticipated date and time of arrival ....................................
(V) Signature of importer  .......................................................
Date and time ....................................................................
