COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2020/2203

of 22 December 2020

amending Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 as regards the entries for the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies in the list of third countries and parts of the territory of third countries from which the entry into the Union of consignments of equidae and of semen, ova and embryos of equidae is authorised

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A(I) to Directive 90/425/EEC (1), and in particular Article 17(3) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 2009/156/EC of 30 November 2009 on animal health conditions governing the movement and importation from third countries of equidae (2), and in particular Article 2(i), Article 12(1), (4) and (5), Article 13(2), Articles 15, 16, 17 and 19 thereof,

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 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 (Official Controls Regulation) (3), and in particular Article 52 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 (4) establishes conditions for the entry into the Union of consignments of live equidae and of semen, ova and embryos of equidae. More particularly, Annex I to that Implementing Regulation establishes the list of third countries and parts of the territory of third countries from which the entry into the Union of consignments of equidae and of semen, ova and embryos of equidae is authorised.

(2) The United Kingdom has provided the necessary guarantees required by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 in order for the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies of Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey to be listed in Annex I to that Implementing Regulation after the end of the transition period provided for in the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (Withdrawal Agreement), without prejudice to the application of Union law to and in the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland in accordance with Article 5(4) of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland to the Withdrawal Agreement in conjunction with Annex 2 to that Protocol. Taking into account the guarantees provided by the United Kingdom, that third country and the Crown Dependencies should be included in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659.

(3) As regards the health status of equidae in the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies, that third country and the Crown Dependencies should be assigned to sanitary group A, and all types of entry and the entry of all categories of equidae should be allowed.

(4) Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5) As the transition period provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement ends on 31 December 2020, this Regulation should apply from 1 January 2021.

(6) 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 Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply from 1 January 2021.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 22 December 2020. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 268, 14.9.1992, p. 54.

(2) OJ L 192, 23.7.2010, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, p. 1.

(4) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 of 12 April 2018 on the conditions for the entry into the Union of live equidae and of semen, ova and embryos of equidae (OJ L 110, 30.4.2018, p. 1).