G/SPS/N/EU/403  
28 July 2020  
(20-5200) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission, Health and Food Safety 
Directorate -General  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Food of animal origin and composite products, live animals  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Commission Implementing Regulation concerning 
model official certificates and a model declaration for certain categories of aq uatic animals 
and certain products thereof and repealing Commission Regulation (EU) No 1251/2008 . 
Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  53 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/EEC/20_4322_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/EEC/20_4322_01_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Regulation (EU) 2017/625 ( 'Official Controls Regulation') 
empowe rs the Commission to adopt, by way of implementing acts, model official 
certificates and declarations which accompany animals and goods entering the Union, and 
rules for the issuance of such certificates. Regulation (EU) 2016/429 ( 'Animal Health Law') 
empo wers the Commission to lay down, by way of implementing acts, rules concerning 
animal health provisions to be contained in those official certificates and declarations.  
The purpose of this Regulation is to lay down rules for the issuance of official certif icates 
and to lay down specific model certificates and a model declaration with regard to the 
category of aquatic animals and certain products thereof.  
The Regulation is launched as part of a package together with Implementing Regulation 
concerning model o fficial certificates for certain terrestrial animals and Implementing 
Regulation concerning model official certificates for certain goods.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal /plant pest or disease, [X]  protect territory 
from other damage from pests.   G/SPS/N/EU/403  
 
- 2 - 
 
  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : Aquatic Animal Health Code, Chapters 
1.5; 9.1; 10.2; 10; 5; 10.6; 10;7 and 10.9.  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes  [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : End 2020.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : End 2020.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 20 days f rom date of publication, and date of application: 
20/04/2021. The act provides a transitional period until 21/07/2021.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Ninety days from the date of circulation of the 
notification.  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
European Commission  
DG Health and Food Safety, Unit D2 -Multilateral International Relations  
Rue Froissart 101  
B-1049 Brussels  
Tel: +(322) 295 4263  
Fax: +(322) 299 8090  
E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu   
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
European Commission  
DG Health and Food Safety, Unit D2 -Multilateral International Relations  
Rue Froissart 101  
B-1049 Brussels  
Tel: +(322) 295 4263  
Fax: +(322) 299 8090  
E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu