Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2615 of 17 December 2025 amending Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 as regards the model animal health certificate and the model declaration for the re-entry into the Union of registered horses for competition

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 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, point (a), and Article 126(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 (3) establishes, among other things, model certificates and model declarations in the form of animal health certificates or animal health/official certificates for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain categories of terrestrial animals and germinal products thereof.

(2) Article 177(1) and (2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 (4), adopted in accordance with Article 239(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, lays down additional requirements for the entry into the Union of registered horses originating from, and returning to the Union after temporary export to a third country or territory or zone thereof to participate in competitions, races or equestrian cultural events.

(3) Chapter 16 (model ‘EQUI-RE-ENTRY-90-COMP’) of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 sets out a model animal health certificate and a model declaration for the re-entry into the Union of a registered horse for competition after temporary export for a period of not more than 90 days to participate in equestrian events organised under the auspices of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). Canada requested that the show jumping (Concours de Saut International 5) taking place in Canada be added to the list of equestrian events covered by that model certificate and that model declaration. As that show jumping in Canada fulfils the requirements of Article 177(1) and (2) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 and is a competition organised under the auspices of the FEI, it is appropriate to add the show jumping (Concours de Saut International 5) taking place in Canada to the list of equestrian events set out in the title and in point II.3.2 of that model certificate, and in point (b) of that model declaration. Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(4) In the interests of clarity and consistency of Union rules, the model certificate and model declaration set out in Chapter 16 of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 should therefore be updated, including updating references, notes and structural elements, and be replaced in their entirety by the model certificate and model declaration set out in the Annex to this Implementing Regulation.

(5) In order to ensure legal certainty, and to avoid any disruption to trade as regards the entry into the Union of registered horses for competition due to the amendments made to Chapter 16 of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 by this Regulation, the use of animal health certificates and declarations 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 an appropriate transition period, subject to certain conditions.

(6) 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

Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

Until 8 October 2026, the use of animal health certificates and declarations issued in accordance with the models set out in Chapter 16 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 the re-entry into the Union of registered horses for competition provided that those certificates and declarations were issued no later than 8 July 2026.

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, 17 December 2025.

For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/429/oj.

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

(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, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2021/403/oj).

(4) 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, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2020/692/oj).