COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2021/171

of 12 February 2021

amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626 as regards lists of third countries and regions thereof authorised for the entry of consignments of insects into the Union

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

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) (1), and in particular Article 127(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EU) 2017/625 lays down rules for official controls and other official activities performed by the competent authorities of the Member States in order to verify compliance with Union legislation in the area of, among others, food safety at all stages of the production, processing and distribution process. In particular, it provides that certain animals and goods are only to enter the Union from a third country or region thereof which appears on a list drawn up by the Commission for that purpose.

(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/625 (2) supplements Regulation (EU) 2017/625. In particular, Article 3 of that Delegated Regulation lays down rules regarding certain animals and goods that are only permitted to enter the Union from third countries or regions thereof included in the list for such animals and goods laid down in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626 (3) (as authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals and goods intended for human consumption).

(3) Article 20 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626 provides that consignments of insects intended for human consumption are only authorised for entry into the Union if such foods have originated in and been consigned from a third country or region thereof, listed in Annex IIIa to that Implementing Regulation. Third countries and regions thereof should only be authorised for the entry of consignments of insects into the Union and duly listed where they provide appropriate evidence and guarantees that they comply with the requirements laid down in Article 127(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and Article 4 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/625.

(4) On 15 September 2020, Vietnam provided sufficient evidence and guarantees to the Commission to be included in the list of third countries or regions thereof authorised for the entry of consignments of insects into the Union. Vietnam should therefore be included in the list set out in Annex IIIa to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626, and that Annex should be amended accordingly.

(5) 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 IIIa to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626 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.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 12 February 2021. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

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

(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/625 of 4 March 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to requirements for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals and goods intended for human consumption (OJ L 131, 17.5.2019, p. 18).

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626 of 5 March 2019 concerning lists of third countries and regions thereof authorised for the entry into the European Union of certain animals and goods intended for human consumption, amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/759 as regards these lists (OJ L 131, 17.5.2019, p. 31).