Article 4

1. Each consignment of products from a third country shall be subjected to a documentary and identity check, irrespective of the customs destination of the products, in order to verify: their origin, their subsequent destination, particularly in the case of non-harmonized products, that the particulars they contain afford the guarantees required by Community rules or, where products are concerned for which trade has not been harmonized at Community level, the guarantees required under national rules referred to in the various cases covered by this Directive. 2. These documentary and identity checks shall be carried out: i(i) on entry into one of the territories referred to in Annex I at one of the border inspection posts or at any other border crossing point a list of which - and regular updates - are to be notified by the Member States to the Commission, which shall arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities; by the veterinary staff of the border inspection post or - in the case of passage through a crossing point referred to in (i), by the competent authority. Where the products undergo the documentary and identity checks at such a crossing point, they must be dispatched without delay under customs supervision to the nearest border inspection post to undergo the checks provided for in Article 8. 3. Entry into one of the territories defined in Annex I shall be prohibited where these checks show that: these products come from a territory or part of a territory of a third country which does not meet the following conditions: they shall be entered on a list drawn up imports are not prohibited pursuant to a Community decision; in the absence of harmonized rules, in particular rules on animal health, they do not comply with the requirements provided for in the national rules applicable to the various cases covered by this Directive; i(i) in the case of products rules governing the import of which have been harmonized: in accordance with Community rules, and Directive 72/462/EEC (1) in particular, as last amended by Directive 90/425/EEC, (b) the veterinary certificate or document accompanying the products does not meet the conditions set pursuant to Community rules or, where rules have not been harmonized, the requirements provided for in the national rules applicable to the various cases covered by this Directive. 4. The Member States shall ensure that importers are obliged to give prior notice to the veterinary staff of the border inspection post where the products are to be submitted specifying the amount, nature and estimated time of arrival of the products. 5. Where: products are intended for a Member State or an area having specific requirements, samples have been taken but the results are not known when the means of transport leaves the border inspection post, imports authorized for specific cases, are involved, information from the competent authority of the place of destination must be given: for products covered by Directive 90/425/EEC by means of the computerized system provided for in Article 20 of the said Directive, for the other products, in accordance with Article 7 (1) of Directive 89/662/EEC. 6. The detailed rules for applying paragraphs 1 to 5 shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 24. 7. All expenditure incurred by the application of this Article shall be chargeable to the consignor, the consignee or their agent, without reimbursement by the Member State.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-06 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.