Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/486 of 4 March 2026 amending Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the entry for Malaysia in the list of third countries or territories or zones thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of equine animals

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 232(3) thereof.

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EU) 2016/429 provides that consignments of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin must come from a third country or territory, or zone or compartment thereof, listed in accordance with Article 230(1) of that Regulation in order to enter the Union.

(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 (2) lays down the animal health requirements that consignments of certain species and categories of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin, from third countries or territories, or zones thereof, or compartments thereof in the case of aquaculture animals, must comply with in order to enter the Union.

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 (3) lays down the lists of third countries, or territories, or zones thereof, from which the entry into the Union of the particular species and categories of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin concerned is permitted. Those lists and certain general rules concerning those lists are set out in Annexes I to XXII to that Implementing Regulation.

(4) Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 sets out the list of third countries or territories, or zones thereof, authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of equine animals. Malaysia is listed in that Annex and assigned to Sanitary Group E. The entry into the Union of consignments of registered horses from that third country, however, has been suspended since 7 September 2020 after an outbreak of African horse sickness (AHS) in that third country.

(5) Since June 2021, there were no reported outbreaks of AHS in Malysia and in 2023 the AHS-free country status of that third country was reinstated by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Meanwhile, Malaysia has provided the Commission with sufficient technical information substantiating its request to be re-authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of registered horses. The Commission has assessed this information which showed that Malaysia successfully eradicated AHS following the outbreak in 2020 and can deliver adequate animal health controls and activities aimed at maintaining the AHS-free status of the country. Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6) Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7) 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 IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

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, 4 March 2026.

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) 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).

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 of 24 March 2021 laying down the lists of third countries, territories or zones thereof from which the entry into the Union of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin is permitted in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 114, 31.3.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2021/404/oj).