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According to the will of the European Parliament, dogs and cats in the EU must in future be identifiable by microchips. The European Union wants to curb the illegal trade in animals and improve their protection.
April 28, 2026, 5:18 p.mApril 28, 2026, 5:18 p.m
According to the will of the European Parliament, dogs and cats in the EU must in future be identifiable by microchips. The European Union wants to curb the illegal trade in animals and improve their protection.
Negotiators from Parliament and the EU states agreed on the new rules in November. They now have to be formally confirmed by the Council, i.e. the EU states.
There will then be transition periods lasting several years for the chip requirement. For dogs it comes into effect ten years after it comes into force and for cats after 15 years – in each case if they are kept privately. Farm cats are exempt. For retailers, however, the new rules apply after just four years.
Against illegal trade
When the EU regulations finally come into force, all dogs and cats will also have to be registered in a national database. The data can be exchanged between EU countries so that an animal can be better assigned to its owner. For example, if a dog runs away on vacation, it can be easier to find out where it belongs in an animal shelter abroad. This will also make it more difficult to resell dogs and cats that have been illegally kept or brought into the EU.
It is also stipulated for traders and breeders that they must keep the animals in good conditions. Dogs and cats with “extreme characteristics” may also not be used for breeding if there is a “high risk” of suffering. The EU Commission and experts should determine precise definitions for this by July 2030. Strongly bred dogs with extremely flat noses often have difficulty breathing.
According to official figures, citizens in the European Union own a total of more than 72 million dogs and 83 million cats. It is estimated that trade in the two species generates annual sales of around 1.3 billion euros (around 1.2 billion francs). (sda/dpa)