In 2000 more than 14,000 consignments of live animals have been checked at the border inspection post at Frankfurt am Main airport, most of them consignments of tropical fish, reptiles and animals for laboratory research. The import of wild or pet animals which could transmit notifiable or human pathogen diseases from third countries into the European Community has been rising continuously during the last years. Various national and community precautions have been taken to avoid the danger of importation of such diseases into the community. A risk analysis on EC-level concerning the transmission of diseases by reptiles, ornamental fish or other pet animals is still overdue.