Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/37 of 12 January 2022 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 as regards model animal health certificates and model animal health/official certificates, for the entry into the Union and movements between Member States of consignments of certain species and categories of poultry and captive birds and germinal products thereof (Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (1), and in particular Article 146(2), Article 156(2), first subparagraph, point (a), and Articles 162(5), 238(3) and 239(3) thereof,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products, amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 1069/2009, (EC) No 1107/2009, (EU) No 1151/2012, (EU) No 652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC and repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 89/608/EEC, 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council Decision 92/438/EEC (Official Controls Regulation) (2), and in particular Article 90, first paragraph, points (a), and Article 126(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 (3) establishes model certificates, in the form of animal health certificates or animal health/official certificates for movements between Member States, and the entry into the Union, of consignments of certain categories of terrestrial animals and germinal products thereof. Those consignments include those falling within the scope of Commission Delegated Regulations (EU) 2020/688 (4) and (EU) 2020/692 (5).

(2) Chapter 18 of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 sets out the model animal health/official certificate for the movement between Member States of less than 20 heads of poultry other than ratites or less than 20 hatching eggs of poultry other than ratites (model ‘POU-INTRA-LT20’). Article 37 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 was recently amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1706 (6) in order to provide a derogation for movements of consignments of less than 20 heads of day-old chicks of poultry other than ratites, hatched from hatching eggs which have entered into the Union from a third country or territory or zone thereof. That amendment should be reflected in that model animal health/official certificate. Chapter 18 of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 should be therefore amended accordingly.

(3) Chapter 19 of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 sets out the model animal health/official certificate for the movement between Member States of poultry intended for slaughter (model ‘POU-INTRA-Y’). Articles 29 and 44 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 (7) lay down specific conditions for authorising movements for slaughter of kept animals of listed species that are in a protection or surveillance zone following the confirmation of an outbreak of a category A disease. Those specific conditions should be reflected in that model animal health/official certificate. Chapter 19 of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 should be therefore amended accordingly.

(4) In Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403, Chapter 27 sets out model animal health/official certificate for the entry into the Union of hatching eggs of poultry other than ratites (model ‘HEP’) and Chapter 28 the model animal health certificate for the entry into the Union of hatching eggs of ratites (model ‘HER’). Article 107 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 was recently amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1705 (8) in order to lay down new requirements for consignments of hatching eggs of poultry as regards the inspection of their flock of origin. Those new requirements should be reflected in those model certificates. Chapters 27 and 28 of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 should be therefore amended accordingly.

(5) Chapter 34 of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 sets out the model animal health certificate for entry into the Union of captive birds (model ‘CAPTIVE-BIRDS’). Article 62 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 was recently amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1705, in order to introduce a derogation from the specific animal health requirements for captive birds for entry into the Union of racing pigeons from a third country or territory or zone thereof where they are normally kept, with the intention to be immediately released with the expectation that they will fly back to that third country or territory or zone thereof. Those amendments should therefore be reflected in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 by excluding that category of captive birds from that model animal health certificate and by establishing instead a new model animal health certificate for the entry into the Union of racing pigeons to be immediately released after entry (model ‘RACING PIGEONS-IMMEDIATE RELEASE’). It is therefore necessary to amend Chapter 34 of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 and to add a new Chapter 34a to that Annex.

(6) Annexes I and II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7) Article 17 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 lists the models of the animal health certificates and animal health/official certificates to be used for the entry into the Union of certain categories of birds and germinal products. It is therefore necessary to amend it to include in that list a reference to the new model ‘RACING PIGEONS-IMMEDIATE RELEASE’ to be inserted in new Chapter 34a of Annex II thereto.

(8) In order to avoid any disruption to trade as regards the entry into the Union of consignments concerned by the amendments to be made to Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 by this Regulation, the use of certificates issued in accordance with Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403, as applicable prior to the amendments made by this Regulation, should continue to be authorised during a transitional period subject to certain conditions.

(9) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 is amended as follows:

Article 2

For a transitional period until 15 September 2022, consignments of certain species and categories of poultry and captive birds and germinal products thereof, accompanied by the appropriate model animal health/official certificate or appropriate model animal health certificate issued in accordance with the models set out in Chapters 27, 28 and 34 of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403, as applicable before the amendments made to that Implementing Regulation by this Regulation, shall continue to be authorised for entry into the Union provided that the certificate was issued no later than 15 June 2022.

Article 3

This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 12 January 2022.

For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, p. 1.

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 of 24 March 2021 laying down rules for the application of Regulations (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards model animal health certificates and model animal health/official certificates, for the entry into the Union and movements between Member States of consignments of certain categories of terrestrial animals and germinal products thereof, official certification regarding such certificates and repealing Decision 2010/470/EU (OJ L 113, 31.3.2021, p. 1).

(4) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 of 17 December 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as regards animal health requirements for movements within the Union of terrestrial animals and hatching eggs (OJ L 174, 3.6.2020, p. 140).

(5) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 of 30 January 2020 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards rules for entry into the Union, and the movement and handling after entry of consignments of certain animals, germinal products and products of animal origin (OJ L 174, 3.6.2020, p. 379).

(6) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1706 of 14 July 2021 amending and correcting Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as regards animal health requirements for movements within the Union of terrestrial animals and hatching eggs (OJ L 339, 24.9.2021, p. 56).

(7) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 of 17 December 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and the Council, as regards rules for the prevention and control of certain listed diseases (OJ L 174, 3.6.2020, p. 64).

(8) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1705 of 14 July 2021 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and the Council as regards rules for entry into the Union, and the movement and handling after entry of consignments of certain animals, germinal products and products of animal origin (OJ L 339, 24.9.2021, p. 40).