G/SPS/GEN/1492  
 
10 June 2016  
(16-3174)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
NEW ANIMAL HEALTH LAW OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION 
The following communication, dated 10 June 2016, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the European Union. 
 
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 1  THE REGULATION 
1.1.  Regulation (EU) No 2016/429 on transmi ssible animal diseases ("Animal Health Law") was 
adopted on 9 March 2016.
1 It constitutes a new European Union (EU) legal framework for 
animal health  providing comprehensive, simple and clear rules for the prevention and control of 
transmissible animal diseases. These new rules will apply from 21 April 2021. 
1.2.  The Animal Health Law is a key output of the EU Animal Health Strategy 2007-2013 
"Prevention is better than cure".2 The European Commission proposed and presented this 
Regulation in May 2013 as part of the "Animal an d Plant Health Package: Smarter rules for safer 
food"3 aiming to strengthen the enforcement of health and food safety standards for the whole 
agri-food chain. The Commission proposal was notified under the WTO SPS Agreement as G/SPS/N/EU/45 on 21 May 2013. The final Regulation was notified as G/SPS/N/EU/45/Add.2 on 2 May 2016. 
1.3.  The principles and rules of the new Regulation apply to kept and wild terrestrial, aquatic and 
other animals, germinal products and products of animal origin. The Regulation lays down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of transmissible animal diseases , including 
emergency measures, and for intra-EU movements and entry into the EU of animals and 
products of animal origin.  The current EU legislation on animal health, scattered across 
numerous legal acts, is replaced by this single and comprehensive legal framework. 
1.4.  With respect to the conditions for entry into the EU  of animals, germinal products and 
products of animal origin, the current system remains largely unchanged. Nonetheless, the Regulation provides for more transparent inte rnational trade requirements aligned with the 
international standards set out by the World Organi sation for Animal Health (OIE). The Regulation 
tallies the relevant animal health requirements for entry of animals, germinal products and 
products of animal origin into the EU with those applicable for the movement of such commodities within the EU. It also provides that the EU animal health requirements are to be respected for 
goods intended for export to non-EU countries, while taking into account the animal health status 
of the importing country (Article 243). 
                                               
1 Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on 
transmissible animal diseases  and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of  animal health ("Animal 
Health Law") (OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1). 
2 COM(2007)539 final: Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, 
the European Economic and Social Co mmittee and the Committee of Regions on A new Animal Health Strategy 
for the European Union (2007-2013) where "Preventio n is better than cure" of 19 September 2007. 
3 COM(2013) 264 final: Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament Healthier 
Animals and Plants and a Safer Agri-F ood Chain; A modernised legal framewo rk for a more competitive EU of 
6 May 2013. G/SPS/GEN/1492 
 
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  1.5.  Compared to current legislation, this Animal Health Law also introduces a number of 
important new elements , such as: 
 clear responsibilities  of operators, including farmers, animal keepers and owners, 
veterinarians, laboratories, competent authorities and others dealing with animals or 
their products;  
 more prevention driven  rules, promoting biosecurity and contributing to better 
husbandry practices, improving the level of knowledge and awareness with regard to 
animal health, streamlining surveillance syst ems, and strengthening capacities for early 
detection and reporting of animal diseases; 
 greater use of new technologies  for animal health activities, e.g. surveillance of 
animals, animal health certification, and identification and registration of animals; 
 more risk based and proportionate control measures , targeted on the diseases 
listed as relevant for EU intervention;  
 improved response to emerging issues by introducing more and flexible tools to deal 
with emerging diseases and other emerging threats which demand a holistic "One 
health" approach, such as antimicrobial resistance or the protection of biodiversity. 
2  FURTHER STEPS 
2.1.  The new legal framework for animal health w ill be complemented by a series of regulatory 
acts detailing a number of implementing measures. The European Commission will be in the lead 
of this task. During the drafting of these regula tory acts, the European Commission, in accordance 
with good regulatory principles, will duly consult experts, EU member States and other stakeholders. Any measure potentially affecting international trade will be notified to the WTO SPS 
Committee. 
2.2.  In addition, the European Commission will sy stematically review the list of animal diseases 
and list them for EU intervention in line with th e provided criteria. Appropriate measures will be 
assigned to each of the listed diseases according to the new Regulation. While completing this 
task, the European Commission will also seek scientific advice from the European Food Safety 
Authority. 
2.3.  The deadline to develop the priority implementi ng measures as well as to list animal diseases 
is set to April 2019 in order to make the new rules fully applicable by 2021. 
2.4.  More information about the new Animal Health Law is available on the European Commission 
website: http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/health/regulation/index_en.htm.  
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