If you wish to commence economic activities as a feed business operator, then you need to apply for activity licences for the following areas of activity prior to commencing with economic activities:
The following activities require an activity licence:
- manufacturing feed material to be put on the market from the by-products of biodiesel production and unprocessed vegetable oil, except for business operators who have been granted a licence under the Food Act, and through an oleochemical process and the mixing of fats;
- manufacturing compound feed for the company’s own use (for feeding the animals of the company) or for putting it on the market, using authorised feed additives (e.g. coccidiostats) or premixtures made from them;
- manufacturing feed additives (e.g. all nutritional and zootechnical additives), putting them on the market, importing them from a non-EU country to Estonia, and exporting them;
- manufacturing premixtures of feed additives (e.g. vitamin A and D, and copper and selenium compounds) to be put on the market and for own use, putting premixtures of feed additives on the market, importing them from a non-EU country to Estonia, and exporting them;
- manufacturing medicated feed for own use or for putting it on the market; manufacturing in a specially equipped vehicle, transporting, storing, importing it from a non-EU country to Estonia, and exporting it;
- pre-producing and manufacturing intermediate products of medicated feedingstuffs for own use or for putting it on the market, transporting, storing, it from a non-EU country to Estonia, and exporting it;
- manufacturing special feed using permitted feed additives (e.g. vitamin A and D, copper, selenium);
- physical, chemical, or (micro)biological detoxification of contaminated feed.
A more precise list of areas of activity is available in the regulation of the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture “The specified list of the areas of activity and the substances used upon handling in the case of which a feed business operator is required to submit a notice of economic activities or is required to have an activity licence”.
For other feed-related activities not mentioned above, a notification of economic activities must be submitted.
Legal bases
Handling feed is regulated by the following legislation:
- Feed Act;
- General Part of the Economic Activities Code Act;
- Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council, laying down the general principles and requirements of food law;
- Regulation No. 183/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council, laying down requirements of feed hygiene;
- Commission Regulation (EU) No. 68/2013 on the Catalogue of feed materials;
- Regulation (EC) No. 767/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the placing on the market and use of feed;
- Regulation (EC) No. 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on additives for use in animal nutrition;
- Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.
Requirements to the applicant
To be granted an activity licence, you must have suitable facilities and equipment for the manufacturing, processing, transport and storage of feed (sections “Facilities and equipment” and “Storage and transport” from Annex II of Regulation (EC) No. 183/2005).
Cross-border operation
If an undertaking has been established and operates as a feed business operator subject to an activity licence in another Contracting State of the European Economic Area, and wishes to start permanent operations in the same area of activity in Estonia, then the undertaking must be granted an activity licence before commencing economic activities in Estonia.
Completing and submitting an application
You can submit an application for an activity licence:
- via the client portal of the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture (authentication is required);
- digitally signed by e-mail to [email protected];
- by delivering it to the AFB local institution;
- through a notary.
For the receipt of an activity licence, please add a self-check plan and the following documents contained therein depending on the nature of activities:
- documents certifying compliance with the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System (HACCP);
- documents certifying the suitability of the structures and instruments for the intended purpose;
- cleaning and disinfection plan which includes data on the measures applied and substances used for the cleaning and disinfection of equipment and facilities;
- pest control plan which includes data on the measures applied for pest control;
- technological plan of the handling process with the significant parameters in view of feed safety and short description of the technology.
No state fee is applied to the adjudication of an application for an activity licence for feed business operators.
Processing of an application
The Agriculture and Food Board will process an application for an activity licence by granting the licence or refusing to grant it within 90 days. To do so, the supervisory authority examines the data and documents submitted and assesses the compliance of the establishment with the data submitted and with the requirements applicable to the establishment on site. The time for processing the application will be calculated from the date on which all the required information is provided. Generally, an activity licence is issued without a term, but it is also possible to issue a temporary licence for up to six months.
Amendment, suspension or termination of an operator’s licence
If an activity is changed, or suspended or terminated, the Agriculture and Food Board must be informed.
Notifications of a change, suspension or termination of an activity shall be submitted in the same way as the original notification was submitted.
Supervision
The Agriculture and Food Board exercises governmental control over the conformity of the handling and use of feed.
Contact details
Substantive information
Kaili Kallit, Agriculture and Food Board, e-mail: [email protected]
Pille Sadrak, Agriculture and Food Board, e-mail: [email protected]
Registry information and technical questions
Client portal of the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, e-mail: [email protected]