COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2020/2108

of 16 December 2020

amending Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 as regards the health mark to be used for certain meat intended for human consumption in the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland

(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) 1107/2009, (EU) 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 the introductory phrase and point (e) of Article 18(8) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 (2) lays down uniform practical arrangements for the performance of official controls in relation to the production of products of animal origin intended for human consumption. Annex II to that Implementing Regulation sets out the practical arrangements for the health mark which, inter alia, indicates the fitness of the meat for human consumption.

(2) In accordance with 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) and in particular Article 5(4) of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland in conjunction with Annex 2 to that Protocol, Regulation (EU) 2017/625, as well as the Commission acts based on it, will continue to apply in the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland after the end of the transitional period. For that reason, it is necessary to amend the requirements laid down in Annex II to that Regulation concerning the health mark that should be used in the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland.

(3) Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 should be therefore amended accordingly.

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

(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 II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 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, 16 December 2020. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

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

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 of 15 March 2019 laying down uniform practical arrangements for the performance of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 as regards official controls (OJ L 131, 17.5.2019, p. 51).