You are required to apply for an activity licence if you wish to keep mink (Mustela vison) or raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in a fur farm.
The activity licence is valid for 5 years and is issued by the Environmental Board.
Legal bases
Legal acts serving as the basis for the activity license for farming European or American mink:
- General Part of the Economic Activities Code Act;
- Nature Conservation Act;
- Regulation No. 51 of the Minister of the Environment titled “Specified requirements for keeping minks and raccoon dogs in artificial conditions and the specified requirements of the content of the farming activity license”.
Requirements to the applicant
To be issued an activity license, you must comply with the following requirements:
- The building structure and the organisation of running the farm preclude the accidental release of minks or raccoon dogs into the wild on their own or with outside help.
- The farm is under continuous surveillance 24 hours a day in such a manner that the staff and visitors in the territory of the farm are accounted for and any person who does not belong among the aforementioned persons is detected immediately.
- The farm is located in mainland Estonia.
Cross-border operation
If the undertaking has been established and is active in mink and raccoon dog farming in another European Economic Area State but also wishes to be active in Estonia, the undertaking is subject to the same terms and conditions as are local undertakings.
Completing and submitting of an application
To be issued an activity license, you must submit an application to the Environmental Board. In addition to the information required in subsection 19 (2) of the General Part of the Economic Activities Code Act, the person requesting a farm activity licence must submit the following information to the Environmental Board:
- The number, sex, age and origin of the animals of the breeding stock.
- The plan for the acquisition or renewal of animals, which contains information on the number, sex and origin of animals to be brought for forming or renewing the breeding stock.
- The action plan to be implemented in the event of an accident, e.g. if animals escape.
The application can be submitted:
- by entering the Register of Economic Activities (authentication is required);
- digitally signed via e-mail at [email protected];
- signed and via mail to the head office of the Environmental Board at Roheline 64, 80010 Pärnu;
- via notary.
Payment of the state fee
For applying for the activity license, you are required to pay a state fee of EUR 20 to the bank account of the Ministry of Finance with reference number 2900081693.
- SEB – EE891010220034796011
- Swedbank – EE932200221023778606
- Luminor Bank – EE701700017001577198
Processing of an application
The application shall be processed within 40 days after receiving a correct application. The Environmental Board may extend the period for processing the application.
If the data specified in the application is incomplete, you shall be contacted after the submission of the application via e-mail or telephone and you will be given an additional 30 days to eliminate the inconsistencies. The period for processing the application shall be suspended for the time of eliminating the inconsistencies. If the Environmental Board does not review the request within the aforementioned term or within an extended term, the farm activity licence will not be deemed to be granted to the undertaking by default once the term has expired.
You will be notified of the issuing of the activity license via e-mail or mail. The activity licence is issued electronically.
The activity licence is valid for 5 years. At or after the end of the validity of the activity license, a new activity license can be applied for.
Changing the data of an activity licence
If you wish to expand your activities by increasing the breeding stock or changing the location of the activity, you must apply for a new activity license.
Discontinuation of economic activities
If you wish to cease the farming of European and American mink, you must submit a written and digitally signed application to the Environmental Board via e-mail or a signed application via mail.
To suspend the activity license, specify the reasons for suspending the activity and the period of suspension.
Revoking of the activity licence
Your activity licence shall be revoked if you violate the conditions of the activity licence or conditions based on which the activity licence was issued.
Supervision
The Environmental Board is responsible for national supervision regarding the compliance of mink and raccoon dog farms with the terms and conditions of the activity licence and conditions based on which the activity licence was issued.
Contact details
Substantive information
Käthlin Rillo, Environmental Board, tel: +372 5699 5083, e-mail: [email protected]
Registry information and technical questions
Register of Economic Activities, tel: +372 668 7080, e-mail: [email protected]