🇪🇺 Mandatory Titer Test for Dogs Traveling from Serbia to the EU Abolished

A major victory for the “Serbia is Not a Risk” initiative – no more blood sampling and 90-day waiting period

On April 1, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia announced that the European Commission confirmed Serbia meets all requirements to be included on the list of third countries with simplified procedures for the movement of pets into the EU. This is the direct result of years of work by veterinarians, hunters, the Veterinary Directorate and – most importantly – your support through the “Serbia is Not a Risk” petition.

Below we share the full statement, explain what exactly changes for you and your pets, and thank everyone who made this historic achievement possible.

🐕 What This Means for You – Explained Simply

Until now: when you wanted to travel with a dog or cat to any EU country, you had to:

• ✅ Rabies vaccination
• ⏳ Wait 30 days
• 💰 Blood sampling + titer test (expensive, waiting for results)
• ⏳ An additional 90-day waiting period after blood sampling

After the decision takes effect (following the PAFF Committee meeting this month):

• ✅ Rabies vaccination
• ✅ Wait only 21 days (exactly the same as for dogs from Germany, France, or Italy)
• ❌ No more titer test
• ❌ No more 90-day waiting period

📌 In other words: Your dog or cat will be able to enter the EU under the same conditions as pets from any EU member state. This applies to travel, vacations, shows, competitions, and even adoption of dogs from Serbia into the EU – without additional tests or quarantine.

⏳ Final Step: PAFF Committee Meeting in April 2026

The European Commission has technically confirmed the conditions, but Serbia’s official inclusion in Annex II of Regulation 577/2013 depends on the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF). The meeting will be held in Brussels this month (April 2026).

Since the European Commission has already issued a positive opinion, it is expected that the committee will give final approval – which is usually a formality. Once the decision is published in the Official Journal of the EU, it takes effect immediately for all member states.^[1]

🙏 Thanks to Everyone Who Made This Change Possible

This victory is not accidental. Behind it stand:

• The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and the Veterinary Directorate – who prepared the documentation and submitted the request to the European Commission.
• Veterinarians in the field – who for decades have carried out dog vaccinations and cared for animal health.
• Hunters and hunting associations across Serbia – who provided fox samples and proved that rabies has been absent since 2018.
• The European Union – which invested over 16 million euros in oral rabies vaccination of foxes (ORV campaigns).
• The Kennel Club of Serbia – which recognized the importance of the initiative from day one and supported us institutionally.^[2]
• You – citizens, dog owners, breeders, kennel societies, and everyone who signed the “Serbia is Not a Risk” petition. Your voice started the avalanche.

Special thanks to “Šape Bačke Palanke” Association and all other animal welfare organizations that supported us from the very beginning.

📋 What You Need for Traveling to the EU (Once the Decision Takes Effect)

• Microchip (mandatory)
• Pet passport – issued by an authorized veterinarian
• Proof of rabies vaccination (with date)
• 21-day waiting period after primary vaccination (or immediately if revaccination is within the deadline)

No more: blood sampling, sending to laboratories, 90-day waiting period.

📚 Sources and References

1. Official statement of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management RS –

   🇪🇺 Mandatory Titer Test for Dogs Traveling from Serbia to the EU Abolished

   A major victory for the “Serbia is Not a Risk” initiative – no more blood sampling and 90-day waiting period

   On April 1, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia announced that the European Commission confirmed Serbia meets all requirements to be included on the list of third countries with simplified procedures for the movement of pets into the EU. This is the direct result of years of work by veterinarians, hunters, the Veterinary Directorate and – most importantly – your support through the “Serbia is Not a Risk” petition.

   Below we share the full statement, explain what exactly changes for you and your pets, and thank everyone who made this historic achievement possible.

   📄 Official Statement of the Ministry of Agriculture (April 1, 2026)

   “The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and the Veterinary Directorate announced that the European Commission, after conducting an assessment of the submitted documentation, confirmed that the Republic of Serbia meets the conditions for inclusion on the list of third countries in accordance with Article 13(2) of Regulation (EU) No. 576/2013, which relates to the non-commercial movement of pets.

   This decision is the result of long-term, continuous, and systematic work to improve Serbia’s veterinary system, as well as confirmation that national standards in animal health are fully aligned with European Union requirements. Special importance lies in rabies control activities, enhanced surveillance, and consistent application of preventive measures, which were crucial in the evaluation process.

   By including the Republic of Serbia on the list, procedures for pet movement into EU countries will be further simplified, including the removal of certain additional administrative and laboratory requirements. This provides tangible relief for citizens, contributes to greater mobility, and further strengthens ties with EU member states.

   This achievement also represents confirmation of the credibility of Serbia’s institutional system and the trust the European Commission places in our veterinary sector. It demonstrates Serbia’s ability to successfully apply the highest European and international standards through a responsible, professional, and continuous approach.

   The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and the Veterinary Directorate will continue, in cooperation with the European Commission and other relevant international partners, to carry out activities aimed at further improving the system, strengthening institutional capacities, and ensuring a high level of animal health and public health protection.”

   🐕 What This Means for You – Explained Simply

   Until now: when you wanted to travel with a dog or cat to any EU country, you had to:

   • ✅ Rabies vaccination
   • ⏳ Wait 30 days
   • 💰 Blood sampling + titer test (expensive, waiting for results)
   • ⏳ An additional 90-day waiting period after blood sampling

   After the decision takes effect (following the PAFF Committee meeting this month):

   • ✅ Rabies vaccination
   • ✅ Wait only 21 days (exactly the same as for dogs from Germany, France, or Italy)
   • ❌ No more titer test
   • ❌ No more 90-day waiting period

   📌 In other words: Your dog or cat will be able to enter the EU under the same conditions as pets from any EU member state. This applies to travel, vacations, shows, competitions, and even adoption of dogs from Serbia into the EU – without additional tests or quarantine.

   ⏳ Final Step: PAFF Committee Meeting in April 2026

   The European Commission has technically confirmed the conditions, but Serbia’s official inclusion in Annex II of Regulation 577/2013 depends on the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF). The meeting will be held in Brussels this month (April 2026).

   Since the European Commission has already issued a positive opinion, it is expected that the committee will give final approval – which is usually a formality. Once the decision is published in the Official Journal of the EU, it takes effect immediately for all member states.[1]

   🙏 Thanks to Everyone Who Made This Change Possible

   This victory is not accidental. Behind it stand:

   • The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and the Veterinary Directorate – who prepared the documentation and submitted the request to the European Commission.
   • Veterinarians in the field – who for decades have carried out dog vaccinations and cared for animal health.
   • Hunters and hunting associations across Serbia – who provided fox samples and proved that rabies has been absent since 2018.
   • The European Union – which invested over 16 million euros in oral rabies vaccination of foxes (ORV campaigns).
   • The Kennel Club of Serbia – which recognized the importance of the initiative from day one and supported us institutionally.^[2]
   • You – citizens, dog owners, breeders, kennel societies, and everyone who signed the “Serbia is Not a Risk” petition. Your voice started the avalanche.

   Special thanks to “Šape Bačke Palanke” Association and all other animal welfare organizations that supported us from the very beginning.

   📋 What You Need for Traveling to the EU (Once the Decision Takes Effect)

   • Microchip (mandatory)
   • Pet passport – issued by an authorized veterinarian
   • Proof of rabies vaccination (with date)
   • 21-day waiting period after primary vaccination (or immediately if revaccination is within the deadline)

   No more: blood sampling, sending to laboratories, 90-day waiting period.

   ---

   📚 Sources and References

   1. Official statement of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management RS – “Serbia Gains Simplified Rules for Traveling with Pets to the EU” (April 1, 2026)
   2. Support of the Kennel Club of Serbia for the “Serbia is Not a Risk” initiative – www.ksrs.rs
   3. Regulation (EU) No. 576/2013 of the European Parliament and Council – Article 13(2) and Annex II
   4. PAFF Committee – Animal Health and Welfare section – European Commission – Comitology Committee

   #SerbiaIsNotARisk #PetPass #RabiesFree #TiterTestAbolished

All of our work on this topic is based on official data, reports from the EU, WOAH, and CDC. Read detailed analyses and the background of this success:

• 1 📢 Main Petition Page – Remove Serbia from the List of High-Risk Countries
• 2 💉 ORV Campaigns in Serbia – EU Support of Over 16 Million Euros
• 3 📄 EU on Rabies in Serbia – Serbia 2025 Report (Official Document)
• 4 🌍 Who Decides Serbia’s Status? CDC, UKHSA and WOAH – Explained
• 5 📊 Serbia and Croatia – Comparative Rabies Analysis (2005–2024)
• 6 🐾 Fewer Abandoned Dogs – How Reclassification Helps Adoption
• 7 🎤 International Conference in Belgrade 2025 (SGE‑RAB7) – Expert Confirmation