EN   EN 
 
 
 EUROPEAN  
COMMISSION   
Brussels, XXX   
SANTE/7164/2019 
(POOL/G3/2019/7164/7164 -EN.docx)  
[…](2019) XXX  draft  
 
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) …/...  
of XXX  
establishing detailed rules on the operations to be carried out during and after 
documentary checks, identity checks and physical checks on animals and goods subject 
to official controls at border control posts  
(Text with EEA relevance)   EN 1  EN COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) …/...  
of XXX  
establishing detailed rules on the operations to be carried out during and after 
documentary checks, identity checks and physical checks on animals and goods subject 
to official controls at border control posts  
(Text with EEA relevance)  
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,  
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union , 
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 Direc tives 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)1, and in particular Article 52 thereof,  
Whereas:  
(1) Regulation (EU) 2017/625 establishes the rules for the competent autho rities of 
Member States when  they perform official controls on animals and goods entering the 
Union in order to verify compliance with the Union agri -food chain legislation.  
(2) Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/625, certain  consignments of the categories of 
animals and goods referred to in its Article 47(1) should always be presented at border 
control posts for official controls.  Those official controls are to  include documentary 
checks, identity checks and physical checks . For the purpose of ensuring the uniform 
implementation of Articles 49, 50 and 51 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625  and the 
efficient performance of official controls  on the categories of animals and good s 
referred to above , detailed rules  concerning the performan ce of documentary checks, 
identity checks and physical checks  at border control posts  should be laid down in this 
Regulation . 
(3) The rules on the operations to be carried out during and after  documentary checks, 
identity checks and physical checks  at the bord er control posts of arrival or control 
points should also apply  to  certain categories  of feed and food of non -animal origin 
subject to measures provided for by the acts referred to in points (d), (e) and (f) of the 
first subparagraph of Article 47(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625  
(4) For certain consignments plants, plant products and other good s entering the Union, 
identity checks and physical checks may be performed by competent authorities at 
                                                 
1 OJ L 95 7.4.2017, p. 1.  EN 2  EN control points or documentary checks may be performed at distance  from the border 
control post  of arrival , in accordance with the acts adopted pursuant to Article 53(1) (a) 
and (e)  of Regulation (EU) 2017/625.  The rules on the operations to be carried out 
during and after  documentary checks, identity checks and physical checks  should also 
apply in such situations.   
(5) All relevant documents which are required to accompany consignments of the 
categories of animals and goods referred to in Article 47(1) of Regulation (EU) 
2017/625 should be checked to ensure that they are base d on the relevant model 
document, that the general certification requirements are fulfilled and that they provide 
the guarant ees required under Union legislation  or applicable national rules .  
(6) The operations carried out during identity checks and physical checks before the date 
of application of this Regulation have proven to be effective and ensure a high level of 
performance of checks. Therefore , the rules laid down in this Regulation should reflect 
the requirements for the performance of identity checks and physical checks laid down 
in Council Directive s 91/496/EEC2, 97/78 /EC3 and 2000/29/EC4, Commission 
Regulation s (EC) No 136/20045 and (EC) No 282/20046 and Commission Decision 
97/794/EC7.  
(7) For the purpose of organising an efficient system of official controls on consignments 
of categories of animals and goods referred to in Article 47(1) of Regulation (EU) 
2017/625  after documentary checks, identity checks and physical checks were  carried 
out, the competent authorities sh ould close and identify the packages  which w ere 
opened for the purpose of the check s. 
(8) When consignments of certain categories of goods referred to in Article 47(1) of 
Regulation (EU) 2017/625 enter the Union, Union legislation  provide s that laboratory 
analys es, tests or diagnos es are to  be carried out or that the means of transport are to 
be sealed to ensure a high level of consumer protection and to prevent any risk for 
public, animal and plant health. In such cases , the results of the laboratory analys es, 
tests or diagnos es or the seal number s should be recorded either in the Common 
Health Entry Document  (CHED ) or in the information management system for official 
controls  (IMSOC ) 
                                                 
2 Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15 July 1991 laying down the principles governing the  organisation of 
veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries and amending Directives 
89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675 (OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56) . 
3 Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 laying down the principles go verning the 
organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries (OJ L 24, 
30.1.1998, p. 9) . 
4 Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the 
Community of organisms h armful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the 
Community (OJ L 169, 10.7.2000, p. 1) . 
5 Commission Regulation (EC) No 136/2004 of 22 January 2004 laying down procedures for veterinary 
checks at Community border inspection posts on p roducts imported from third countries (OJ L 21, 
28.1.2004, p.  11). 
6 Commission Regulation (EC) No 282/2004 of 18 February 2004 introducing a document for the 
declaration of, and veterinary checks on, animals from third countries entering the Community (OJ  L 49, 
19.2.2004,  p. 11). 
7 Commission Decision 97/794/EC  of 12 November 1997 laying down certain rules for the application of 
Council Directive 91/496/EEC as regards veterinary checks on live animals to be imported from third 
countries (OJ L 323, 26.11.19 97, p. 31) . EN 3  EN (9) To ensure traceability of the animals and goods  enter ing the Union , the original 
official certificates or documents should be kept for a  certain period at the border 
control post of arrival  into the Union . 
(10) Since this Regulation lays down provisions in the areas covered by Regulation s (EC) 
No 136/2004  and (EC) No 282/2004  and Decision 97/794/EC , these acts should be  
repealed  with effect from the date of application of this Regulation.   
(11) Regulation (EU) 2017/625 applies from 14 December 2019. Accordingly, the rules 
laid down in this Regulation should also apply from that date . 
(12) 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  
Subject matter and scope  
This Regulation lays down detailed rules on the operations to be carried out during and after  
the documentary checks, identity checks and physical checks referred to in Articles 49, 50 and 
51 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on consignments of the categories of animals and goods 
referred to in Article 47(1) of that Regulation . 
Article 2 
Detailed rules  for documentary checks  
1. For each consignment  of animals and goods referred to in Article 1 , the competent 
authority shall ascertain the use to which the animals and goods are assigned  
pursuant to the official  certificates , official a ttestations  and other documents 
accompanying the consignment  as well as the consignment’s destination indicated in 
these certificates, attestations and documents . 
2. The competent authority shall inspect a ll official certificates, official attestations and 
other documents referred to in point (41) of Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 
or their electronic equivalents submitted in the information management system for 
official controls (IMSOC) referred to in Article 131 of that Regulation or via existing 
national systems in order to ascertain that:  
(a) they are issued by the competent authority of the third country , whe re 
applicable ;  
(b) they fulfil the requirements set out in Articles 89(1)  and 91(2) of Regulation 
(EU) 2017/625 and in the implementing act s referred to in Article 90 of that 
Regulation;   
(c) they correspond to the model established by the rules referred to in Article 1(2) 
of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 ; 
(d) the particulars contained in the certificates or documents af ford the guarant ees 
required in the rules referred to in Article 1(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625  
3. The competent authority shall check that the operator responsible for the 
consignment  completed  the relevant part of the  Common Health Entry Document 
(CHED ) fully and correctly as required by Article 56 (1) of Regulation (EU) 
2017/625  and that the information in it corresponds to the information provided in EN 4  EN the official certificates, official attestations and other documents accompanying the 
consignment.  
Article 3 
Detailed rules  for identity  checks  
1. During identity checks on consignments of animals and goods referred to in 
Article  1, the competent authority shall verify that the following elements , as 
appropriate, correspond  to the information provided in the official certificates, 
official attestations and other documents  accompanying the consignment : 
(a) the number of animals, the ir species, b reed, sex, age and category;   
(b) the content of the consignment ; 
(c) the quantity  of the consignment;   
(d) the appropriate stamps and identification marks  or codes ; 
(e) the identification of the means of transport;  
(f) seals on containers or means of transport.  
2. For consignment s of products of animal origin, germinal products, animal by -
products , derived products, hay and straw and composite products , the identity 
checks may be limited to points ( e) and ( f) of paragraph 1 in the cases where:  
(a) the consignment is not selected for physical checks;   
(b) the entire consignment has been loaded in transport units which are closed and 
locked by a seal(‘containerised consignment’);   
(c) seals on containers or means of transport are intact and not tampered with;   
(d) the seals on containers or means of transport were fixed by or under the 
supervision of the competent au thority issuing the official certificate; and 
(e) the information available on seals correspond to that given in the 
accompanying official certificate  required by the rules refe rred to in Article 
1(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 . 
3. For consignment s of product s of animal origin, germinal products, animal by -
products, derived products, hay and straw and composite products , the selection of 
items or packages for identity checks referred in paragraph 1  shall  cover 1  % of the 
items or packages in a consignment , with  a minimum of two items or packages and 
up to a maximum of 10 items or packages . Where, on the bases of selected items or 
packages does not allow to the competent authority to complete identity check, the 
number of items or packages checked may be increase to perform more extensive 
checks.   
4. For consignments of animals , identity checks  shall be  based on the following rules : 
(a) for animals for which individual identification is required by Union legislation, 
at least 10  % of the animals with a minimum of 10 animals shall be selected 
from the consignment  so as to be representative of the whole consignment . 
Where the consignment contains less than 10 animals, the identity checks shall  
be carried out on each animal in the co nsignment;  EN 5  EN (b) for animals for which individual identification is not required by Union 
legislation, the marking shall be checked of a representative number of 
packages or containers;  
(c) if the identity checks laid down  in points ( a) and ( b) have not been  satisfactory, 
the number of animals checked shall be increased  and may reach the total  
number of animals in the consignment concerned .  
5. Consignment s shall be partially or fully unloaded from the means of transport where 
it is necessary to have access to the whole consignment for the purpose of identity 
checks . 
Article 4 
Detailed rules for physical checks  
1. During p hysical checks on consignments of animals and goods referred to in 
Article  1, the competent authority  shall verify that the con signment s comply with the 
rules referred to in  Article 1(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625   and the specific 
requirements defined in the relevant official certificates, official attestations and 
other documents .  
2. Consignment s shall be partially or fully unloaded from the means of transport where 
it is necessary to have access to the whole consignment for the purpose of physical 
checks.  
3 Physical checks on animals shall  be carried out in accordance with the requirements 
set out in An nex I.  
4. Physical checks on products of animal origin, germinal products, animal by -products, 
derived products, hay and straw and composite products   and on feed and food of 
non-animal origin subject to measures provided for by the acts referred to in points 
(d), (e) and (f) of Article 47(1)  of Regulation (EU) 2017/625  shall be carried out in 
accordance with the requirements set out in Annex II  to this Regulation .  
Laboratory tests  to detect hazards on products of animal origin, germinal products, 
animal by -products, derived products, hay and straw and composite products  shall be 
carried out in accordance with the monitoring plan referred to in point 5 of Annex II.   
5. Physical checks on plants, plant pr oducts and other objects  referred to in point (c) of 
Article 47(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and, where applicable, subject to 
emergency measures provided for in the acts referred to  in point (e) of Article 47(1) 
of that Regulation shall  be carried out i n accordance with the requirements set out in 
Annex III to this Regulation . 
6. Consignments of ungulates sampled in line with sampling requirements referred in 
part III of Annex I, for which no immediate danger to public health or animal health 
is suspected, may be placed on the market before the laboratory test results are 
available   
7. Consignments tested pursuant to the monitoring plan referred in the second 
subparagraph of Article 4(4), fo r which no immediate danger to public health or 
animal health is suspected, may be placed on the market before the laboratory test 
results are available . 
8. Where consignments of plants, plant products and other objects referred to in point (c) 
of Article 47(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 are sampled for laboratory analysis EN 6  EN during physical checks and no immediate danger to plant health is suspected, such 
consignments may be placed on the market before the laboratory test results are 
available.  
Article 5 
Operations to be carried out after documentary  checks , identity checks and physical checks  
1. After completion of the checks provided for in Article 49 (1) of Regulation (E U) 
2017/625, the competent authority shall : 
(a) close and identify with an official mark the pa ckages which it has opened for 
the purpose of identity checks or physical checks;  
(b) in the cases required by Union legislation , seal the means of transport and enter 
the seal number in the CHED . 
2. The competent authorities shall record in the IMSOC all the res ults of laboratory 
analys es, tests or diagnos es, as soon as they are available, of the consignments tested 
and placed on the market before laboratory test results are available.   
3. The original official certificates or documents, or electronic equivalents, referred to 
in Article 50(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 shall be kept by the competent 
authority of the border control post of arrival into the Union for at least three years  
from  the date on which the consignment was authorised enter the Union .  
However, the original certificate or documents for the  plants, plant products and 
other objects  referred to in point (c) of Article 47(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 
may be kept by means o f electronic storage of information provided that such 
information is generated by the competent authority on the basis of the original 
certificate or documents.  In such cases, the original certificate or document shall be 
invalidated or destroyed by the c ompetent authority.  A copy of the original official 
certificate or documents referred to in Article 50(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 
shall be kept by the competent authority of the border control post of arrival into the 
Union for at least three years  from the date on which  the consignment was authorised 
enter the Union or for onward travel (‘transhipped consignments’) in paper or 
electronic format in the cases where the  rules referred to in Article 1 (2) of that 
Regulation do not require  original certifica tes or documents to be presented to, and 
kept by, the competent authorit y.  
Article 6 
Repeals  
Regulation s (EC) No 136/2004  and (EC) No 282/2004 and Decision 97/794/EC  are repealed 
with effect from  14 December 2019.  
Article 7 
Entry into force and date of application  
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Union . 
It shall apply from 14 December 2019.  EN 7  EN This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly app licable in all Member States.  
Done at Brussels,  
 For the Commission  
 The President  
 Jean -Claude JUNCKER