Tri-Partite Agreement to reduce bureaucracy

A new Tri-Partite Agreement (TPA) has been agreed and signed by three countries (France, Ireland and the UK) over the movement and transport of horses. The new agreement will come into force on the 18th of May 2014.
The agreement will help facilitate the movement and transport between the three aforementioned countries with less controls and without prior inspection or certification. It also allows the member countries to grant one another derogations from requirements for inspection and certification prior to movement, provided that the health status in each of the countries is equivalent.
The new agreement does not change the current arrangements for movement of horses between the UK and Ireland. The changes only apply to movements of horses between the UK and France and also Ireland and France. The agreement will apply to the following categories of horses: thoroughbreds used for racing, sporting horses competing in a FEI sponsored competition and non-registered thoroughbreds.
Under the new arrangements, all movements of horses between the UK and France and Ireland and France will need to be notified through the TRACES system. This process will be managed by Equine Industry Bodies approved by Defra. Weatherbys and the British Equine Federation (BEF) have been authorised as approved equine TPA bodies to administer the new TPA.
Source: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-trade/2013/cin-gen-13-115/