COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2020/2217

of 22 December 2020

amending Annexes I and III to Decision 2010/472/EU as regards the entry for the United Kingdom in the lists of third countries or parts thereof authorised for imports into the Union of semen, ova and embryos of animals of the ovine and caprine species

(notified under document C(2020) 9554)

(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)(a), and the introductory phrase and point (b) of Article 19 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Decision 2010/472/EU (2) establishes the conditions for imports into the Union of consignments of semen, ova and embryos of animals of the ovine and caprine species. More particularly, Annex I to that Decision lists the third countries or parts thereof from which Member States are to authorise imports of consignments of semen of animals of the ovine and caprine species, while Annex III thereof lists the third countries or parts thereof from which Member States are to authorise imports of consignments of ova and embryos of those animals.

(2) The United Kingdom has provided the necessary guarantees required by Decision 2010/472/EU in order for the United Kingdom to be listed in Annexes I and III to that Decision 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 should be included in the Annexes to Decision 2010/472/EU.

(3) Annexes I and III to Decision 2010/472/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.

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

(5) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 Annexes I and III to Decision 2010/472/EU are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2 This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2021.

Article 3 This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 22 December 2020. For the Commission Stella KYRIAKIDES Member of the Commission

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

(2) Commission Decision 2010/472/EU of 26 August 2010 on imports of semen, ova and embryos of animals of the ovine and caprine species into the Union (OJ L 228, 31.8.2010, p. 74).