The e-Sign function in TRACES is used for the issuing of certificates by the veterinary authorities. When an electronic certificate is issued, the requirement that the issued certificate must accompany the consignment in paper version is no longer required. Using the e-Sign function means that the official veterinarian does everything online in TRACES: signs and stamps and "hands over" the certificate.
Consequently, it is the electronic, digitally signed and digitally stamped version of the INTRA certificate in TRACES that is the valid version of the certificate and the version that must be referred to in control situations.
The operator (including the transporter) who is responsible for the consignment in the control situation in question must be able to present the certificate in TRACES to the relevant competeauthority.
This follows from the provisions of Article 150, Article 155(2), Article 161(5, Article 167(4), Article 217 or Article 223(5), of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 (Animal Health Law), depending on which animals or products are involved.
Practically, this means that if you have a user profile in TRACES, you can search for the electronically issued certificate in the system - if you have created the certificate yourself or are associated as a user with the organization listed in Part I of the certificate.
Not all places in the EU have internet access, which is why the EU Commission suggests that the driver who transports the shipment has a PDF file ('Digitally signed PDF') of the certificate sent to his e-mail, so that the PDF file can be displayed on a smartphone or tablet at the request of the authorities.
The PDF file can also be printed out and taken with you, but the printed PDF file is not be signed and stamped by the veterinary authorities.
From the original (i.e. in the Danish) language version of the PDF file ('Digitally signed PDF') it appears that the certificate was issued digitally. In INTRA certificates, which are digitally issued by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration's official veterinarians, it looks like this:
Få adgang til TRACES
If you or the companies you collaborate with, e.g. transporters, do not have access to TRACES, we encourage you to get it.
You must first have a so-called EU login to get a user profile in TRACES. There is more information about creating an EU login and user profile in TRACES on the EU Commission website:
Go to the EU Commission website on TRACES
Go to TRACES website
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration can assist users connected to Danish establishments.
However, users connected to establistsments in other countries will have to seek assistance with the veterinary autorities of the relevant country.
If you do not yet have access to TRACES, the official veterinarian of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration will, upon requests, print and hand out a PDF file ('Digitally signed PDF') of the electronic certificate. The printed PDF file is not signed and stamped by the official veterinarian as the electronisk version in TRACES is the valid version of the certificates.
If there is no online access at the place of inspection
Inspection of animals or products at places where there is no online access, certificates will be issued according to previous procedures where a paper version of the certificate is stamped and signed by the official veterinarian. This certificate will be provided to the operator (or transporter) and must accompany the shipment to the final destination.
This follows from the provisions of Article 143(3), Article 161(3), Article 208(3) or article 223(3), in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 (Animal Health Law), depending on which animals or products are involved.
