COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGUL ATION (EU) 2019/2129 
of 25 November 2019 
establishing rules for the unifo rm application of frequency rates for identity check s and physical 
check s on certain consignments of animals and goods enter ing the Union 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
THE EUR OPEAN COMMISSION, 
Havi ng regar d to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, 
Havi ng 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 perf ormed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and 
welf are, 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 (Offici al 
Controls Regulation) (1), and in particular points (a) and (c) of the first subparagraph of Article 54(3) thereof, 
Whereas: 
(1) Regulation (EU) 2017/625 establishes rules on the performa nce of official controls by the compet ent author ities of 
the Member State s on animals and goods entering the Union in order to verify compl iance with Union agri-food 
chain legislation. 
(2) Article 54(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 empowers the Commission to establish rules for the unif orm application 
of the appropr iate frequency rate for identity checks and physical chec ks on consignments of the categor ies of 
animals and goods referred to in Article 47(1)(a) and (b) of that Regulation. Theref ore the frequency rates on 
identity chec ks and physical checks should be established depending on the risk posed by each animal, good or 
catego ry of animals or goods to human, animal or plant health, animal welf are or, as regards genetically modified 
organisms and also to the envi ronment. 
(3) To ensure that the frequency rates of physical checks required pursuant to this Regulation are compl ied with in a 
unif orm manner , provision should be made in this Regulation to make use of the information management system 
for official controls (IMSOC) referred to in Article 131 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 for the selection of 
consignments for physical checks. 
(4) The frequency rates established in accordance with this Regulation should be applicable for the animals and goods 
refer red to in Article 47(1)(a) and (b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 intended to be placed on the market. However , 
the frequency of physical checks carried out at border control posts to ascer tain compl iance with Regulation (EU) 
2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) should be determined in accordance with Article 45(5) 
of that Regulation. 
(5) Council Directive 91/496/EEC (3) lays down rules governing the organisation of veteri nary checks on animals 
entering the Union from third countr ies. Article 4 of that Directive provid es that each consignment of animals 
should be subject to identity chec ks and physical checks. 
(1)OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, p. 1. 
(2)Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on organic production and labelling of 
organic products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 (OJ L 150, 14.6.2018, p. 1). 
(3)Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15 July 1991 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterin ary chec ks on animals 
entering the Community from third countr ies and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC (OJ L 268, 
24.9.1991, p. 56). EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union L 321/122                                                                                                                                     12.12.2019   (6) Directive 91/496/EEC is repealed by Regulation (EU) 2017/625 with effect from 14 December 2019. Taking into 
account the risk posed by certain catego ries of animals to human or animal health and animal welfa re, the same 
frequency rates of identity checks and physical checks should continue to apply to animals entering the Union from 
third countr ies as those laid down in or in accordance with Directive 91/496/EEC. 
(7) To ensure the effectiveness of the official controls, identity chec ks and physical chec ks should be carried out in such a 
way that it is not possible for the operat or responsible for the consignment to predict whether any particular 
consignment will be subject to physical chec ks. 
(8) Article 3 of Commission Imp lementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2130 (4) establishes detailed rules on identity chec ks 
for goods referred to in point (b) of Article 47(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, according to whether the 
consignment is subject to physical checks or not. 
(9) The baseline criteria for deter mining the baseline frequency rates for the identity checks and physical chec ks 
performe d on products of animal origin, germinal products, animal by-products, derived products, hay and straw 
and compo site products should be established taking into account information regarding the risks associated with 
the catego ries of animals or goods and available scientifi c assessments. 
(10) Based on information collect ed by the Commission in accordance with Article 125(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, 
on the outcome of controls performe d by Commission exper ts in third countr ies in accordance with Article 120(1) 
of that Regulation and on information collected through the IMSOC, it should be possible to modify the frequency 
rates for physical checks resulting from the baseline criteria. 
(11) To ensure the efficiency of official controls, the frequency rates deter mined in accordance with this Regulation 
should be made available through the IMSOC. 
(12) For certain third countr ies with whic h the Union has concluded veteri nary agreements on equivalency , it is 
appropr iate to reduce the frequency of physical checks on certain products, taking into account, inter alia, the 
application of the regionalisation principle in the case of animal disease, and of other veterinar y principles. 
Theref ore, the frequency rates for physical checks specified in these veteri nary agreements should apply for the 
purpose of this Regulation. 
(13) Commission Decision 94/360/EC (5) establishes reduced frequency rates of physical chec ks for certain categor ies of 
goods subject to vete rinar y checks. Since this Regulation lays down provis ions in the areas covered by Decision 
94/360/EC, that Decision should be repealed with effect from the date specifi ed in this Regulation. 
(14) Regulation (EU) 2017/625 applies from 14 December 2019. According ly, the rules laid down in this Regulation 
should also apply from that date . 
(15) The measures provid ed for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committ ee on 
Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGUL ATION: 
Article 1 
Subject matter and scope 
This Regulation lays down rules for the unif orm application of the appropr iate frequency rate of identity checks and 
physical chec ks on consignments of animals and goods refer red to in Article 47(1)(a) and (b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 
intended to be placed on the mark et. 
(4)Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2130 of 25 Novem ber 2019 establishing detailed rules on the operations to be 
carried out during and after documentar y chec ks, identity chec ks and physical chec ks on animals and goods subject to official controls 
at border control posts (see page 128 of this Offi cial Jour nal). 
(5)Commission Decision 94/360/EC of 20 May 1994 on the reduced frequency of physical chec ks of consignments of certain products to 
be implement ed from third countr ies, under Council Directive 90/675/EEC (OJ L 158, 25.6.1994, p. 41). EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 12.12.2019                                                                                                                                      L 321/123   Article 2 
Def initions 
For the purpose of this Regulation, 
1. ‘frequency rate’ means the minimum percentage of consignments of animals and goods referred to in Article 1, 
determined in accordance with this Regulation, of the number of consignments arrived at the border control post 
during an identif ied period, for which identity chec ks and physical checks are to be carried out by the compet ent 
author ities; 
2. ‘IMSOC’ means the information management syste m for official controls referred to in Article 131 of Regulation 
(EU) 2017/625. 
Article 3 
Selection of consignments for physical checks 
1. The compet ent author ities shall select consignments for physical chec ks in accordance with the follo wing procedure: 
(a) a random selection of a consignment is automat ically generat ed by the IMSOC; 
(b) the compet ent author ities may decide to select the consignment in accordance with point (a) or to select a differ ent 
consignment of the same catego ry of goods and the same origin of goods. 
2. For each consignment select ed for physical checks in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article, the compet ent 
author ities shall perform identity checks as refer red to in Article 3(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2130. 
Article 4 
Frequency rates for identity checks and physical checks 
1. The compe tent author ities shall perform identity chec ks and physical checks on consignments of animals, products of 
animal origin, germinal products, animal by-products, derived products, hay and straw and compo site products at the 
frequency rates determi ned in accordance with Article 5. 
2. For the third countr ies listed in Annex II with which the Union has concluded agreements of equivalence, physical 
checks shall be carried out according to the frequency rates established by these agreements. 
Article 5 
Deter mination and modif ication of frequency rates for identity checks and physical check s perfor med on 
animals, products of animal origin, germinal products, animal by-products, derived products, hay and straw and 
composite products 
1. The baseline frequency rates for identity chec ks and for physical checks on consignments of animals and goods 
refer red to in Article 1 are set out in Annex I to this Regulation, based on the scientific assessments and information 
refer red to in points (a)(v) and (vi) of the first subparagraph of Article 54(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625. 
2. The frequency rate for physical chec ks on specific goods from a specifi c third countr y may be increased where serious 
deficien cies are identif ied based on: 
(a) information collected by the Commission in accordance with Article 125(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625; or 
(b) the outcome of controls performe d by Commission exper ts in accordance with Article 120(1) of Regulation 
(EU) 2017/625. 
In this case, the frequency rate deter mined in accordance with paragraph 1 is increased to the next higher baseline 
frequency rate set out in Annex I or to a frequency rate of 50 % where the frequency rate applicable to the specifi c 
categor y of goods is at 30 %, EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union L 321/124                                                                                                                                     12.12.2019   3. The frequency rate of physical checks shall be increased from the baseline frequency rate determined in accordance 
with paragraph 1 to the next higher baseline frequency rate set out in Annex I, or to a frequency rate of 50 % if the 
frequency rate applicable to the specifi c categor y of goods is at 30 %, where data and information collect ed via the IMSOC 
indicate for specifi c goods from a specifi c third countr y a level of non-comp liance with respect to physical checks in the last 
12 months, for the same categor y of goods, whic h exce eds by 30 % the average rate of non-com pliance for the same 
catego ry of goods from all third countr ies. 
4. Where the criteria referred to in paragraph 2 or in paragraph 3 are no long er met, the frequency rate shall be reduced 
to the respective baseline frequency rate set out in Annex I. 
5. The Commission shall make frequency rates determined in accordance with this Article available to compet ent 
author ities and to operators through the IMSOC. 
Article 6 
Repeals 
Decision 94/360/EC is repealed with effect from 14 December 2019. 
Article 7 
Entr y into force and date of application 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day followi ng that of its publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Union. 
It shall apply from 14 December 2019. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 
Done at Brussels, 25 November 2019.  
For the Commission 
The President 
Jean-Claude JUNCKER     EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 12.12.2019                                                                                                                                      L 321/125   ANNEX I 
Baseline criter ia for deter mining the baseline frequency rates for the identity checks and physical 
checks of the consignments of animals, products of animal origin, germinal products, animal by- 
products, derived products, hay and straw and composite products                                                                 
Baseline criter ia for deter mining baseline frequency rates for identity checks and 
physica l checks Baseline frequency rates that apply to 
Risk categor y Categor y of animals or goods (*) identity checks physical checks 
I Animals 100 % 100 % 
II — Minced meat, mech anically separated meat and meat 
preparations for human consum ption (HC) 
— Poultr y meat for HC 
— Rabbit meat, gam e meat, and their meat products for HC 
— Eggs for HC 
— Egg products for HC whic h are preser ved at frozen or chilled 
temperatures 
— Milk for HC 
— Dair y products and colostr um-based products for HC, which 
are preser ved at frozen or chilled temperatures 
— Fisher y products from aquaculture and bivalve molluscs for 
HC, which are not in hermetically sealed containers intended 
to render them stable at ambient temperature 
— Animal by-products and derived products, for feeding of 
farmed animals 100 % 30 % 
III — Meat other than meat mentioned in Categor y II, and meat 
products derived from such meat, for HC 
— Rendered animal fat and greav es for HC 
— Poultr y meat products for HC 
— Egg products for HC, other than those mentioned in Categor y 
II 
— Dair y products and colostr um-based products for HC other 
than those mentioned in Categor y II 
— Fisher y products other than those mentioned in Categor y II 
— Honey and other apiculture products for HC 
— Comp osite products 
— Hatch ing eggs 
— Org anic fertilisers and soil imp rovers, derived from animal by- 
products 
— Frog legs and snails for HC 
— Insects for HC 100 % 15 % 
IV — Gelatine and collagen for HC 
— Casings 
— Semen and embr yos 
— Animal by-products and derived products, other than those 
mentioned in Categor y II and Categor y III 100 % 5 % 
V — Highly refined products for HC 
— Hay and straw 
— Other goods than those mentioned in Categor y II, Categor y III 
and Categor y IV 100 % 1 % 
(*) The frequency rates for physical checks of consignments of trade samples shall be in accordance with the descr iption of the categories 
of goods provi ded in this Annex.   EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union L 321/126                                                                                                                                     12.12.2019   ANNEX II 
List of certain third countr ies refer red to in Article 4(2) and frequencies of physical checks 
1. New Zealand 
In the case of New Zealand, the frequencies shall be those provided for in the Agreement which was approved by 
Council Decision 97/132/EC (1) in the form of an Exchange of Lette rs concer ning the provisional application of the 
Agreement between the European Community and New Zealand on sanitar y measures applicable to trade in live 
animals and animal products. 
2. Canada 
In the case of Canada, the frequencies shall be those provided for in Annex VIII to the Agreement which was approved 
by Council Decision 1999/201/EC (2). 
3. Chile 
In the case of Chile, the frequencies shall be those provid ed for in the Agreement on Sanitar y and Phytosanitar y 
Measures applicable to Trade in Animals and Animal Products, Plants, Plant Products and other Goods and Animal 
Welfare set out in Annex IV to the Association Agreement which was appro ved by Council Decision 2002/979/EC (3).   
(1)Council Decision 97/132/EC of 17 December 1996 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and New 
Zealand on sanitar y measures applicable to trade in live animals and animal products (OJ L 57, 26.2.1997, p. 4). 
(2)Council Decision 1999/201/EC of 14 December 1998 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the 
Government of Canada on sanitar y measures to protect public and animal health in respect of trade in live animals and animal 
products (OJ L 71, 18.3.1999, p. 1). 
(3)Council Decision 2002/979/EC of 18 November 2002 on the signature and provisional application of certain provi sions of an 
Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of 
Chile, of the other part (OJ L 352, 30.12.2002, p. 1). EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 12.12.2019                                                                                                                                      L 321/127