NIWO Eurovergunning | Horse Taxi Olieslagers HT-O

PERMITS / CERTIFICATION

1. NIWO EURO PERMIT

Companies that are active in the professional road transport of goods must have a Euro permit. The permit applies to domestic and international transport. In the Netherlands, if you start a transport company or a courier service, you must first apply for a permit from the NIWO. The Euro permit is the business permit for transport and courier companies.

Companies that transport goods by road for payment, on behalf of third parties, must have this permit.

This applies when using a vehicle with a load capacity of more than 500 kg or, since 1-1-2024, a permissible maximum mass of more than 2500 kg. If you transport animals for payment from one or more third parties, this is considered professional transport of goods and the permit requirement therefore applies.

For 'hobby transport', or temporary transport such as transporting horses to a horse competition, transporting horses for inspection and veterinary examination that is not carried out for payment from third parties, the permit requirement does not apply. The question is whether it concerns ‘own’ transport or transport against payment from third parties.

Please note: in addition to the Euro permit, a permit for the transport of live animals is also required.

A Euro permit therefore includes at least one permit certificate. This official document must be carried in the vehicle. The driver must be able to show it on the road. The permit certificate is also called a ‘certified copy of the Euro permit’ or ‘copy’. In addition, a company must have a transport manager who is professionally qualified. This is demonstrated with the professional diploma for entrepreneur in road freight transport. For the professional diploma, the transport manager has followed an extensive course and passed six exams at the CBR. (NIWO, sd). For more information regarding the Euro permit, please refer to the following website: https://www.niwo.nl/nl/home

Example permit:

Certified transport manager of HT-O:
Romy de Veer
Telephone number: +31-6-53851282

2. NVWA Transport Regulation

In the following situation, you need a transport permit:
It concerns commercial transport.
You transport the horse over a distance of more than 65 kilometers.

The NVWA transport claim contains the legal requirements for animal welfare during transport. Among other things, it contains rules for:

travel times and rest periods
design of the means of transport: this must be safe and comfortable
water and food
how the animals must be treated
which documents must be present

The legal requirements are formulated in general terms, so that they apply to as many situations as possible. Less strict rules generally apply to the transport of horses than to the transport of livestock, such as cows or goats. In the case of horse transport, these appendices to the work instructions are particularly important:

specific requirements for transport and rest times, the means of transport, loading and unloading and the treatment of horses
description of when you may or may not transport a horse

The transport company takes a lot of work off your hands, especially if your horse is going abroad. The company can, among other things, apply for the inspection for the health certificate for you. You must ensure that your horse has a passport and is chipped. (NVWA, sd)

3. Certificate/certificate for the transport of horses

The Certificate of Professional Competence for Livestock Transport focuses on the transport of large livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, horses, pigs). This is mandatory for:

Drivers who transport livestock.
Anyone who deals with live animals professionally during transport.

To obtain the certificate, you must follow a course with one of the certified trainers and successfully pass the Driver Responsible Livestock Transport (VEE) Exam. The certificate is valid for 5 years. To keep a valid certificate, you are required to renew it every 5 years (CBR, sd). Especially for horse transporters, there is the possibility to take an exam for horses only. You do not have to learn anything about pigs, cattle, sheep and goats.

For transport in the Netherlands with a maximum of 2 horses for the hobby, no strict regulations from the Regulation apply. So no certificate and no permit are required. The horses must be transported in a good horse trailer and if they are sick or have open wounds they may not be transported. After all, it is forbidden to transport animals or have them transported in such a way that the animals are likely to suffer injury or unnecessary suffering. The direct transport of horses to or from veterinary practices and clinics, as prescribed by the veterinarian, is permitted. A veterinarian's declaration "fit to travel" is then required.

Transport with3 or more horses are considered by the minister as hobby transport with a commercial character. For these carriers the strict requirements from the transport regulation apply. So a certificate, a permit and transport documents.