COMMISSION REGUL ATION (EU) 2017/1973 
of 30 Oct ober 2017 
amending Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 as regards official controls on fisher y products caught by 
vessels flying the flag of a Member State and introduced into Union after being transferr ed in 
third countr ies and establishing a model health certificate for those products 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
THE EUR OPEAN COMMISSION, 
Having regar d to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, 
Having regar d to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 Apr il 2004 laying 
down specifi c hygiene rules for food of animal origin (1), and in particular the second paragraph of Article 9 thereof, 
Having regar d to Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 Apr il 2004 laying 
down specif ic rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human 
consum ption (2), and in particular the second paragraph of Article 16 thereof, 
Whereas: 
(1)  In order to safeg uard public and animal health, products from the Union whic h are transfe rred, with or without 
storage, through third countr ies are regarded as no longer compl ying with the requirements for those products 
laid down in Union legislation. Consequently , Council Directive 97/78/EC (3) provides that Member States are 
required to ensure that veter inar y checks are carried out on consignments of these products introduced into the 
Union from third countr ies. 
(2)  Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 lays down specifi c rules on the hygiene of food of animal origin for food business 
operat ors, including rules for fisher y products. In addition, Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 lays down rules for 
official controls to be carried out on products of animal origin intended for human consump tion. Regulation (EC) 
No 854/2004 provides that a document meeting certain requirements is to accompan y consignments of products 
of animal origin when they enter the Union and official controls of those products are to take place in 
accordance with that Regulation. 
(3)  Commission Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 (4) sets out model health certificates and documents for imports of 
certain products of animal origin for the purposes of Regulations (EC) Nos 853/2004 and 854/2004, including 
one for imports of fisher y products in Annex VI theret o. 
(4)  Member States and stak eholder organisations have requeste d the Commission to establish a model health 
certificate for consignments of fisher y products intended for human consum ption caught by vessels flying the 
flag of a Member State and transfe rred in third countr ies, with or without storag e, to be signed by the compet ent 
author ity in the third countr y in order to harmonise the information to be provid ed when such consignments are 
entering the Union territory. 
(5)  The model of health certificate should specifi cally refer to the relevant provisions concer ning the landing, 
unloading and storing of fisher y products laid down in Chapt ers II and VII of Section VIII of Annex III to 
Regulation (EC) No 853/2004. 31.10.2017 L 281/21 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     
(1)OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 55. 
(2)OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 206. 
(3)Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterin ary chec ks on 
products enteri ng the Community from third countr ies (OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 9). 
(4)Commission Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 of 5 December 2005 laying down implementing measures for certain products under 
Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and for the organisat ion of official controls under 
Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European 
Parliament and of the Council, derogatin g from Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and 
amending Regulations (EC) No 853/2004 and (EC) No 854/2004 (OJ L 338, 22.12.2005, p. 27). (6)  The model of health certificate should also be compati ble for use with the electronic trade control and exper t 
system (TRA CES) (1) used for the exchange of health certificates between the third countr ies and the Member 
States. 
(7)  It is theref ore appropr iate to establish a harmonised model of health certificate to be signed by the compet ent 
author ity in the third countr y through which the fisher y products are transferr ed, before they are dispatch ed to 
the Union. 
(8)  Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 should be amended according ly. 
(9)  The measures provi ded for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on 
Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGUL ATION: 
Article 1 
Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 is amended as follo ws: 
(a)  the followi ng Article 6c is inser ted: 
‘Article 6c 
Requirements concer ning the official controls on fisher y products caught by vessels flying the flag of 
Member States enter ing the Union after being transferred in third countr ies with or without storage 
1. Fisher y products intended for human consump tion caught by vessels flying the flag of a Member State , 
unloaded, with or without storag e, in third countr ies before enter ing the Union by a different means of transpor ­
tation, must be accompan ied by a health certificate issued by the compet ent author ity of that third countr y and 
compl eted in accordance with the model health certificate set out in Appendix VIII to Annex VI. 
2. The third countr y where the transfer takes place must be listed as provided for in Article 11(1) of Regulation  
(EC) No 854/2004. 
3. If the fisher y products refer red to in paragraph 1 are unloaded and transpor ted to storag e facility locat ed in the 
third countr y referred to in that paragraph, that storag e facility shall appear in a list as provided for in Article 12 of 
Regulation (EC) No 854/2004. 
4. If the fisher y products referred to in paragraph 1 are loaded in a vessel flying the flag of a third countr y, that 
third countr y must be liste d as provid ed for in Article 11(1) of Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 and the vessel must 
appear in a list as provided for in Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 854/2004. 
Container vessels used to transpor t container ised fisher y products are excl uded from this requirement ’; 
(b)  Annex VI is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation. 
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day followi ng that of its publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Union. 
It shall apply from 1 July 2018. 31.10.2017 L 281/22 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     
(1)Commission Decision 2004/292/EC (OJ L 94, 31.3.2004, p. 63). This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member State s. 
Done at Brussels, 30 October 2017. 
For the Commission 
The President 
Jean-Claude JUNCK ER  31.10.2017 L 281/23 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     ANNEX 
In Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005, the followi ng Appendix VIII is added: 
‘Appendix VIII to Annex VI 
Model of health certificate for fisher y products intended for human consumption caught by 
vessels flying the flag of a Member State and transferred in third countr ies with or without 
storage 
31.10.2017 L 281/24 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     31.10.2017 L 281/25 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     ’ 31.10.2017 L 281/26 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN