Instructions issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform No.56 of 1983 regarding the Veterinary Quarantine.

These Instructions consisting of 18 articles aim at regulating the import and export of animals and their products and are based on the provisions of article 118 of the Veterinary System No.84 of 1937. General rules astablish that (i) it is permissible to enter or remove animals and their products only through official veterinary quarantines; (ii) the veterinary authority may prohibit the import or passage of animals and their meat and products from the affected countries until the end of the epidemic is confirmed and based on the conviction of the competent veterinary authority; (iii) to import or export animals or their products it is necessary to obtain a previous license from the competent veterinary authorities; (iv) the competent authority has the right to take any procedures or conditions in the event of import or export with regard to vaccinations or the length of time the animals remain in the quarantine areas, before granting the import and export license; (v) the animals that are exported abroad for a limited period for the purpose of grazing, racing or any other purpose, as well as animals that pass through Iraqi lands or are imported for a limited period and re-export must be recorded and numbered so that they can be known, and then they can be re-exported without the need for an import or export license.
The Instructions list in details at article 9 the necessary controls and procedures to import the following (i) cows and buffaloes for breeding; (ii) sheep and goats for breeding; (iii) animals imported for the purpose of slaughter; (iv) horses; (v) camels; (vi) dogs and cats; (vii) birds and eggs; (viii) birds for breeding, including feathers and eggs; (ix) monkeys; (x) rabbits and similars; (xi) wild animals; (xii) meat; (xiii) slaughtered birds; (xiv) fish; and (xv) semen. The Instructions deal also with (i) conditions for a veterinary health certificate; (ii) animals and their products passing through Iraqi territory (when they are inside designated vehicles and equipped with a veterinary health certificate); (iii) veterinary health measures to be taken in the event of infectious or epidemic diseases appearing in the veterinary quarantine; and (iv) general provisions for some quarantine diseases (Rinderpest, Foot and mouth disease, and Anthrax).