Delegated regulation 2020/692 - Supplement to Regulation 2016/429 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 - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 174/379

Union legislation in the area of animal health was recently updated by the adoption of the ‘Animal Health Law’. That Regulation, which came into force on 20 April 2016, and which applies from 21 April 2021, repealed and replaced around 40 basic acts. It also requires the adoption of many Commission delegated and implementing regulations to repeal and replace around 400 Commission acts that existed in the area of animal health before the new legal framework established by the ‘Animal Health Law’.

Trading conditions have evolved since the adoption of the first animal health rules at Union level, with the volume of trade in animals, germinal products and products of animal origin increasing significantly, both within the Union and with third countries. During the same period, as a result of Union animal health policies and rules, certain diseases have been eradicated in the Union and other diseases have been prevented or controlled in many Member States. However, on several occasions, emerging diseases have posed new challenges for the Union animal health status, trade and the local economy in the areas affected by those diseases.

The rules laid down in this act, supplement those already laid down in the ‘Animal Health Law’. They should provide the necessary guarantees to ensure that consignments of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin entering the Union do not present an animal health risk for kept and wild animals that could jeopardise the Union health status as regards animal diseases and have a detrimental economic impact on the sectors involved.

Article 234 of the ‘Animal Health Law’ provides that pending the adoption of delegated acts laying down animal health requirements as regards a particular species and category of animal, germinal product or product of animal origin, Member States may, following evaluation of the risks involved, apply national rules if they comply with certain requirements laid down in that Regulation. Therefore, the entry into the Union of species and categories of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin not covered by this Regulation may be subject to such national rules applied by Member States.

The existing animal health rules, laid down in previous Commission acts concerning the entry into the Union of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin have proved to be effective, therefore the aim and substance of those existing rules should be maintained in this Regulation, but updated to take account of the rules on better regulation, of the new animal health framework laid down in the ‘Animal Health Law’ and of newly available scientific knowledge, international standards and experience in applying previous Union acts.

To avoid unnecessary trade disruptions, the animal health requirements for entry into the Union of consignments falling within the scope of this Regulation should ensure a smooth transition from the requirements laid down in...