COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2022/2077

of 27 October 2022

designating the European Union reference centre responsible for the scientific and technical contribution to the establishment and harmonisation of the methods for the preservation of endangered breeds, and the preservation of the genetic diversity existing within those breeds

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 on zootechnical and genealogical conditions for the breeding, trade in and entry into the Union of purebred breeding animals, hybrid breeding pigs and the germinal products thereof and amending Regulation (EU) No 652/2014, Council Directives 89/608/EEC and 90/425/EEC and repealing certain acts in the area of animal breeding (‘Animal Breeding Regulation’) (1), and in particular Article 29(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Member States and stakeholders expressed the need to promote the establishment and harmonisation of the methods used by breed societies and third parties designated by breed societies in accordance with Article 27(1), point (b), of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012, for the preservation of endangered breeds or the preservation of the genetic diversity existing within those breeds.

(2) The Commission, in accordance with Article 29(3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012, carried out a public call for selection and designation of the European Union reference centre responsible for the scientific and technical contribution to the establishment and harmonisation of the methods for the preservation of endangered breeds, and the preservation of the genetic diversity existing within those breeds (‘the European Union reference centre for endangered animal breeds’).

(3) The evaluation and selection committee appointed for that call concluded that the consortium led by Stichting Wageningen Research, Wageningen Livestock Research, the Netherlands, which comprises Institut de l’Elevage, France and the Federal Office of Agriculture and Food, Germany, complies with the requirements set out in point 1 of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 and has the capacity to carry out the tasks set out in point 3 of that Annex.

(4) The consortium led by Stichting Wageningen Research, Wageningen Livestock Research, the Netherlands, which comprises Institut de l’Elevage, France and the Federal Office of Agriculture and Food, Germany, should therefore be designated as the European Union reference centre for endangered animal breeds. The scope of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 is limited to breeding animals of bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine and equine species and therefore the activities of that European Union reference centre should be related to endangered breeds of those animal species only.

(5) The designation of the European Union reference centre for endangered animal breeds should not be limited in time but should be reviewed regularly as referred to in Article 29(3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012.

(6) The European Union reference centre for endangered animal breeds should commence its activities from 1 January 2023 as it contributes to the European Green Deal policy initiatives, and therefore this Regulation should be applicable from that date.

(7) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Zootechnics,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1 The following centre shall be designated as the European Union reference centre responsible for the scientific and technical contribution to the establishment and harmonisation of the methods for the preservation of endangered breeds, and the preservation of the genetic diversity existing within those breeds: Consortium led by Stichting Wageningen Research, Wageningen Livestock Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, the Netherlands, which comprises Institut de l’Elevage, 149 Rue de Bercy, 75012 Paris, France and the Federal Office of Agriculture and Food, Deichmanns Aue 29, 53179 Bonn, Germany.

Article 2 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 1 January 2023.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 27 October 2022. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 171, 29.6.2016, p. 66.