Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1447 of 18 July 2025 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 laying down uniform practical arrangements for the performance of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

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) (1), and in particular Article 18(8), points (c), (d) and (e), thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 (2) lays down uniform practical arrangements for the performance of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/625.

(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1141 (3) amends Section III, point 3, of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) by authorising game-handling establishments to receive and handle farmed ratites and farmed even-toed game mammals which are slaughtered at the place of origin. Practical arrangements for official controls and related activities in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 only refer to slaughterhouses and should, as a consequence of the amendments to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, also refer to game-handling establishments. Article 7(2), Article 9, Articles 10(1), 27(2), 33(1), 34(1), Article 39(2), point (a), Article 48(2), point (b), Annex I, point 5, and Annex II, points 1(b) and (c), to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(3) Articles 9 and 10 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 lay down obligations for the competent authorities or their representatives in general and the official veterinarian in particular as regards checks of food chain information. Certain ambiguities and differences in implementation have been observed as regards checks that may be carried out by any representative of the competent authorities and checks that are to be carried out by the official veterinarian. Since the verification of food chain information is part of ante-mortem inspection as defined in Article 17, point (c), of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, that verification is to be carried out in principle by the official veterinarian in accordance with Article 18(2), points (a) and (b), of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, taking into account the derogations provided for in Article 18(2)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and Article 3 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/624 (5). In other cases than ante-mortem inspection, e.g. during audits, the checks of food chain information may be carried out by any representative of the competent authorities. Articles 9 and 10 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 should be amended to more clearly reflect who is to carry out the checks of food chain information.

(4) The list of Member States and zones thereof with disease-free status for tuberculosis (i.e. infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (M. bovis, M. caprae and M. tuberculosis)) in bovine animals is laid down in Part I of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 (6). For reasons of legal clarity, it is necessary to update the reference to that list in Article 18(1), point (b), of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627.

(5) Articles 18(3), 19(2), 20(2), 21(2), 22(2) and 23(2) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 provide that post-mortem inspection procedures in relation to domestic ungulates using incisions and palpations of carcases and offal are to be carried out when there are indications of a possible risk to human health, animal health or animal welfare. Incisions and palpations may pose a risk of cross-contamination with pathogens potentially present on carcases or offal. Not all additional post-mortem inspection procedures should therefore be imposed but only those that are relevant based on indications of a possible risk. Articles 18(3), 19(2), 20(2), 21(2), 22(2) and 23(2) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6) Detailed rules on Union notification and Union reporting of listed transmissible animal diseases are laid down in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2002 (7). Therefore, for reasons of legal clarity, it is necessary to update the reference to Council Directive 64/432/EEC (8) in Article 39(3) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627.

(7) Article 40 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 lays down uniform practical arrangements for official controls related to compliance with requirements laid down in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 as regards food chain information contained in the records kept in accordance with Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (9). Article 40 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 refers exclusively to slaughter in slaughterhouses. However, Section I, Chapter VIa, of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 authorises, subject to certain requirements, the slaughter of domestic ungulates at the holding of provenance. Section III, point 3, of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 authorises, subject to certain requirements, the slaughter of farmed ratites and farmed even-toed game mammals at the holding of provenance. Section I, Chapter VI, of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 establishes requirements for the emergency slaughter of domestic ungulates outside the slaughterhouse. Article 40 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 should be amended to cover those cases of slaughter at the holding of provenance and of emergency slaughter outside the slaughterhouse.

(8) Article 42 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 lays down measures to be taken in case of misleading food chain information. That article refers exclusively to slaughterhouses. To reflect recent amendments to Section III, points 1 and 2, of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, Article 42 should be amended to cover game-handling establishments in the case of farmed game slaughtered at the holding of provenance.

(9) Union disease control measures for certain listed animal diseases which may affect certain animals and consequently the fitness for human consumption of fresh meat from these animals are now laid down in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council (10) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 (11). Therefore, for reasons of legal clarity, it is necessary to update the references in Article 45, point (e), of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 accordingly.

(10) The link between the form of the health mark required by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 and the requirements for a special health mark laid down for the control of certain animal diseases pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 should be clarified. Article 48(3) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 should be amended accordingly.

(11) Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 lays down practical arrangements for the health mark in accordance with Article 48 of that Implementing Regulation. Point 1(c) of that Annex II refers to the European Community, instead of the European Union. Abbreviations which refer to the European Union should therefore replace abbreviations which refer to the European Community. To alleviate the administrative burden for operators created by that replacement, a transitional period should be provided for, during which products bearing a health mark with an abbreviation referring to the European Community may remain on the market.

(12) Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(13) 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) 2019/627 is amended as follows:

(1) in Article 7, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following: ‘2.   In the course of audits in slaughterhouses or game-handling establishments, the competent authorities shall verify the evaluation of food chain information, as laid down in Section III of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.’;

(3) in Article 10, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: ‘1.   When carrying out ante-mortem inspections, the official veterinarian shall verify the results of the checks and evaluations of food chain information provided by the operator of the slaughterhouse or game-handling establishment in accordance with Section III of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004. The official veterinarian shall take those checks and evaluations into account when carrying out ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections, together with any other relevant information from the records of the animals’ holding of provenance.’

(5) in Article 19(2), the introductory sentence is replaced by the following: ‘When there are indications of a possible risk to human health, animal health or animal welfare in accordance with Article 24, the official veterinarian shall proceed with those of the following post-mortem inspection procedures that are relevant based on indications of a possible risk, in accordance with Article 18(2), point (c), of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and Articles 7 and 8 of Regulation (EU) 2019/624, using incision and palpation of the carcase and offal:’;

(6) in Article 20(2), the introductory sentence is replaced by the following: ‘When there are indications of a possible risk to human health, animal health or animal welfare in accordance with Article 24, the official veterinarian shall proceed with those of the following post-mortem inspection procedures that are relevant based on indications of a possible risk, in accordance with Article 18(2), point (c), of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and Articles 7 and 8 of Regulation (EU) 2019/624, using incision and palpation of the carcase and offal:’;

(7) in Article 21(2), the introductory sentence is replaced by the following: ‘When there are indications of a possible risk to human health, animal health or animal welfare in accordance with Article 24, the official veterinarian shall proceed with those of the following post-mortem inspection procedures that are relevant based on indications of a possible risk, in accordance with Article 18(2), point (c), of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and Articles 7 and 8 of Regulation (EU) 2019/624, using incision and palpation of the carcase and offal:’;

(8) in Article 22(2), the introductory sentence is replaced by the following: ‘When there are indications of a possible risk to human health, animal health or animal welfare in accordance with Article 24, the official veterinarian shall proceed with those of the following post-mortem inspection procedures that are relevant based on indications of a possible risk, in accordance with Article 18(2), point (c), of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and Articles 7 and 8 of Regulation (EU) 2019/624, using incision and palpation of the carcase and offal:’;

(9) in Article 23(2), the introductory sentence is replaced by the following: ‘When there are indications of a possible risk to human health, animal health or animal welfare in accordance with Article 24, the official veterinarian shall proceed with those of the following post-mortem inspection procedures that are relevant based on indications of a possible risk, in accordance with Article 18(2), point (c), of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and Articles 7 and 8 of Regulation (EU) 2019/624, using incision and palpation of the carcase and offal:’;

(10) in Article 27, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following: ‘2.   Where the animals have been slaughtered outside the slaughterhouse, the official veterinarian at the slaughterhouse or game-handling establishment shall verify the certificate.’

(11) in Article 33, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: ‘1.   Where animals have reacted positively or inconclusively to tuberculin, or there are other grounds for suspecting infection, they shall be slaughtered or handled separately from other animals, taking precautions to avoid the risk of contamination of other carcases, the production line and staff present in the slaughterhouse or game-handling establishment.’

(12) in Article 34, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: ‘1.   Where animals have reacted positively or inconclusively to a brucellosis test, or there are other grounds for suspecting infection, they shall be slaughtered or handled separately from other animals, taking precautions to avoid the risk of contamination of other carcases, the production line and staff present in the slaughterhouse or game-handling establishment.’

(15) in Article 42(2), the first sentence is replaced by the following: ‘The competent authorities shall take action against the food business operator responsible for the holding of provenance of the animals, or any other person involved, including the operator of the slaughterhouse or game-handling establishment.’;

Article 2

The health marks on meat fit for human consumption after ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection may continue to include the abbreviations CE, EC, EF, EG, EK, EO, EY, ES, EÜ, EB, EZ, KE or WE set out in point 1(c) of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627, as that point stood before the amendments made by this Regulation, until 31 December 2028.

Article 3

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth 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, 18 July 2025.

For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/625/oj.

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 of 15 March 2019 laying down uniform practical arrangements for the performance of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 as regards official controls (OJ L 131, 17.5.2019, p. 51, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/627/oj).

(3) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1141 of 14 December 2023 amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards specific hygiene requirements for certain meat, fishery products, dairy products and eggs (OJ L, 2024/1141, 19.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2024/1141/oj).

(4) Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 55, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/853/oj).

(5) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/624 of 8 February 2019 concerning specific rules for the performance of official controls on the production of meat and for production and relaying areas of live bivalve molluscs in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 131, 17.5.2019, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2019/624/oj).

(6) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620 of 15 April 2021 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the approval of the disease-free and non-vaccination status of certain Member States or zones or compartments thereof as regards certain listed diseases and the approval of eradication programmes for those listed diseases (OJ L 131, 16.4.2021, p. 78, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2021/620/oj).

(7) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2002 of 7 December 2020 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to Union notification and Union reporting of listed diseases, to formats and procedures for submission and reporting of Union surveillance programmes and of eradication programmes and for application for recognition of disease-free status, and to the computerised information system (OJ L 412, 8.12.2020, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2020/2002/oj).

(8) Council Directive 64/432/EEC of 26 June 1964 on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine (OJ 121, 29.7.1964, p. 1977, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/1964/432/oj).