[NHCOLL-L:4258] Shipping Docs for Import of Natural History specimens to Europe

[Neumann Dirk]

Dear all,
after recent (and repeated) problems last week with re-import of 
preserved fishes and DNA-tissues which have been on loan to the US and 
were returned from the States, few comments on the shipping docs which 
should be adhered to in order to minimize problems of import / re-import 
(especially FedEx entry to Europe via Frankfurt/Main airport):

1. Make sure that the shipping docs on the outside do include a copy of 
the original loan agreement form, not only a commercial invoice. In this 
loan agreement the "Latin" (scientific) species names need to be 
included or must be state elsewhere. In case of missing information, 
especially FedEx staff tends to convey shipments to customs for 
inspections in order to avoid any claims against FedEx for violating 
customs regularities for entry of shipments into the EU.

2. In the case that undetermined material is sent for identification (to 
/ from European museums), there should be a comment like  "undetermined 
waterbeeetles, Familiy ABC, Genus XYZ (as detailed as possible for the 
undetermined specimens included); the statement "dried insects" is *NOT* 
sufficient for customs clearance and import and may lead to customs 
inspections which may cause damage of specimens due to untalented and 
unmotivated staff at the customs. Note that packages are normally cut 
from the bottom side, so there should be sufficient cushioning material 
in the bottom to prevent plastic bags or boxes containing specimens from 
being cut / damaged if packages are inspected.

3. For re-import of loaned material *FROM* European collections the 
origin in the commercial invoice *must not be the country where the 
specimens were originally collected*. In the actual case, paperwork was 
ok, but origin was two different African countries. The statements in 
the Commercial Invoice (if printed separately) are crucial, since most 
shipments are advised electronically rather then the shipping docs 
attached to the packages are check. This means that the data on the 
Commercial Invoice decides whether inspection is ordererd, or not. In 
customs terms, the country of Origin is the Collections from which the 
material was sent, e.g. the UK, Germany, etc. Re-import of animals / 
animal parts & samples originating from the EU are not under legislation 
for animal pest control and not subject to vet inspections. The same 
applies for loans to museums in the EU, in those cases the country of 
origin is the country in which the respective collection is based.

4.  For vertebrates, there should be a passage in the shipping docs that 
e.g. the specimens where originally preserved in 4 % formalin solution 
at least for three days and therefore do not carry any potential animal 
diseases or pests. There have been reported cases where up to 80,- EUR 
(= 100 USD) were charged from the consignee for vet inspections because 
of insufficient shipping docs. All claims against these charges are 
fruitless in cases of wrong / insufficient import docs.

5. All packages to the EU must not be addressed to any person (scientist 
/ technician, etc.), but first to the Institute or Collection first. All 
otherwise package addressed are due to customs regulations regarded as 
"personnel shipments" with high risk of inspections. Any claims in cases 
of insufficient repacking or even damages against customs authorities 
are in vain  if the package was addressed a personnel shipment.

Please find below an template which may help ...

Kind regards
Dirk

*************

Address:

Bavarian Natural History Collections
The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Lab
Muenchhausenstr. 21
81247 Munich (Germany)

Veterinarian statements:
This package contains dead preserved ... (freshwater fishes) for 
scientific research, which were originally preserved in 4 % formalin 
solution for at least one week
and then transferred into 75 % denatured Ethanol for further 
preservation; these specimens are not infectious due to the original 
preservation technique.


Protection of species:
The package contains no endangered species (for Latin species names 
please refer to included loan agreement).


Country of Origin:
The specimens packed are on loan for zoological (morphological) research 
and legally belong to the State of Bavaria (Country of Origin: Germany); 
no commercial value, not for resale.

 
Commercial value for customs purposes:
Commercial value of the used cheesecloth and plastic 
bags:                                    5.00 EUR


HAZMAT / IATA :
Preserved fishes are single packed with absorbent (Vermiculite ^(TM)) 
and sealed in PE plastic bags / containers. For transportation specimens 
are wrapped in cloth soaked with 70 % Ethanol;
amount of free liquid Ethanol per inner packing < 30 ml. Dangerous Goods 
in excepted quantities in compliance with IATA DGR Regulations (50^th 
Ed. / 2009): class 3, ID 3274 / UN 1987, packing group II.




-- 
Dirk Neumann

Tel: 089 / 8107-111
Fax: 089 / 8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann at zsm.mwn.de

Postanschrift:

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
Zoologische Staatssammlung München
Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Labor
Münchhausenstr. 21
81247 München

Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung:
http://www.zsm.mwn.de/ich/

---------

Dirk Neumann

Tel: +49-89-8107-111
Fax: +49-89-8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann at zsm.mwn.de

postal address:

Bavarian Natural History Collections
The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Lab
Muenchhausenstr. 21
81247 Munich (Germany)

Visit our section at:
http://www.zsm.mwn.de/ich/

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