The construction of the border inspection post

The work of the border inspection post ensures that only safe foods which comply with the food regulatory requirements of the European Union find their way to the consumer via traders. Furthermore the checks at Leipzig/Halle Airport should prevent dangerous animal epidemics being brought into Germany and into the area of the EU.

The border inspection post was built in just under one year by Leipzig/Halle Airport in the south-eastern part of the airport. The investment made for constructing the building amounted to approx. 4.8m euros. Occupants and tenants of the building are the Food Inspection Office and the Veterinary Inspection Office of the Delitzsch District Office as well as the Saxon State Ministry for the Environment and Agriculture, Regional Institute for Agriculture.

The Food Inspection Office and the Veterinary Inspection Office of the Delitzsch District Office use the border inspection post as the authority responsible for monitoring the import, transit and export of animals and goods of animal origin as well as foods to and from the European Union.

In order to carry out these tasks the 1,500 square-metre-large building complex is divided into three sections:

• Rooms with inspection and laboratory areas for handling and temporarily accomodating living animals,
• Food area with a seperate delivery area and inspection rooms as well as laboratories,
• Non-food area with the necessary rooms for the delivery and inspection of consignments

Since the end of October the import and transit of animals as well as consignments with goods of animal origin (e.g. sheep’s wool and feathers), foods of animal origin (e.g. dairy products and meat products) and foods of plant origin (e.g. nuts and spices) from third countries have been checked by official veterinarians in the newly established veterinary border inspection post.

Depending on the demand for handling consignments which need to be examined the veterinary checks are carried out in two shifts. Opening times are scheduled for 10:00pm until 4:00am as well as from 8:00am until 3:00pm.
The checks are carried out in close cooperation with the customs office at the airport and the importers.

The veterinarians are responsible for checking the consignment documents as well as physically inspecting animals and goods. If necessary they will also take laboratory samples and will also issue clearance papers.
The head of the border inspection post is the veterinarian, Ms Solvey Thiele. For the time being two official veterinarians and two clerks are employed at the border inspection post.

Since the establishment of the European Single Market every consignment of animals or goods of animal origin being imported into the EU from a third country is subjected to an import inspection at the outer borders of the European Union. This is to ensure that imported foods correspond to European health and hygiene standards and that animal epidemics are not brought into the European Union by animals or goods.