India Requires Veterinary Certificate for All Feather Shipments to EU and UK

Context The Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued Notification No. 08/2026‑27 on April 10, 2026, amending the export policy for feathers covered under Chapter 5 of the Export Policy. The change follows the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, which empower the government to revise conditions for specific product categories.

Key Facts - Exporters of feathers to the EU or UK must obtain a veterinary or shipment‑clearance certificate for each shipment. The certificate must follow the EU/UK format and be issued by CAPEXIL, the Export Inspection Agency. - The certificate must list the exporter’s name, address, Import‑Export Code (IEC), plant address, and plant approval number. - The requirement applies to all feather categories, including stuffing feathers (HS 5051090), other feathers (HS 5059029), and skins or other parts (HS 5059099). Each now falls under both existing Condition 1 and the new Condition 5 of the export policy. - After dispatch, exporters must also provide the foreign buyer with a Production Process Certificate or Veterinary Health Certificate.

What It Means Indian feather exporters face an additional compliance step that could increase processing time and costs. CAPEXIL’s role as certificate issuer centralises documentation, but exporters must ensure accurate details to avoid shipment delays. The dual‑condition requirement aligns Indian exports with EU and UK animal‑health standards, potentially smoothing market access but also raising the bar for quality control.

Stakeholders should monitor CAPEXIL’s issuance timelines and any further guidance on certificate verification. The next phase will reveal whether the new protocol improves trade flow or creates bottlenecks for India’s feather industry.