Council Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 of 17 December 2003 establishing a system for the identification and registration of ovine and caprine animals and amending Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 and Directives 92/102/EEC and 64/432/EEC
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: goat, health control, sheep, traceability, veterinary legislation

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COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 21/2004

of 17 December 2003

establishing a system for the identification and registration of ovine and caprine animals and
amending Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 and Directives 92/102/EEC and 64/432/EEC

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com-
munity, and in particular Article 37 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and
Social Committee (2),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Pursuant to Article 3(1)(c) of Council Directive 90/425/
EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and
zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade
in certain live animals and products with a view to the
completion of the internal market (3), animals for intra-
Community trade have to be identified in accordance
with the requirements of Community rules and be regis-
tered in such a way that the original or transit holding,
centre or organisation can be traced. Those identification
and registration systems had to be extended to the
movements of animals within the territory of each
Member State by 1 January 1993.

Article 14 of Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15 July
1991 laying down the principles governing the organisa-
tion of veterinary checks on animals entering the Com-
munity from third countries and amending Directives
89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC (4) states that
the identification and registration provided for in Article
3(1)(c) of Directive 90/425/EEC must, except in the case
of animals for slaughter and registered equidae, be
carried out after the veterinary checks have been made.

(3)

Rules concerning the identification and the registration
of ovine and caprine animals in particular have been laid
down in Directive 92/102/EEC (5). In respect of ovine
and caprine animals, experience, and in particular the

(1) Opinion delivered on 17 November 2003 (not yet published in the

Official Journal).

(2) OJ C 208, 3.9.2003, p. 32.
(3) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29. Directive as last amended by Directive
2002/33/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L
315, 19.11.2002, p. 14).

(4) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56. Directive as last amended by Directive

96/43/EC (OJ L 16, 22.1.1996, p. 3).

(5) OJ L 355, 5.12.1992, p. 32. Directive as last amended by the 1994

Act of Accession.

foot-and-mouth disease crisis, has shown that the imple-
mentation of Directive 92/102/EEC has not been satis-
factory and is in need of improvement. It is therefore
necessary to lay down more stringent and specific rules,
as has already been done for bovine animals with Regu-
lation (EC) No 1760/2000 of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 17 July 2000 establishing a system
for
identification and registration of bovine
animals (6).

the

It follows from the structure of Community legislation,
and in particular from Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000,
that the concepts of keeper and holding as generally
used do not refer to veterinary practices or clinics. The
scope of those concepts should be defined more expli-
citly so as to render the legislation more readable.

Directive 92/102/EEC should therefore be amended so
it states clearly that bovine animals are already
that
excluded from its scope and, likewise, to exclude ovine
and caprine animals.

Council Directive 64/432/EEC of 26 June 1964 on
animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade
in bovine animals and swine (7) should also be amended
in order to update the references therein to the provi-
sions in Community legislation regarding the identifica-
tion of the animal species concerned.

In 1998 the Commission launched a large-scale project
on the electronic identification of animals (IDEA), and its
final report was completed on 30 April 2002. That
project demonstrated that a substantial improvement in
ovine and caprine animal identification systems could be
achieved by using electronic identifiers for those animals,
provided that certain conditions concerning the accom-
panying measures were fulfilled.

The technology for the electronic identification of ovine
and caprine animals has been developed to the stage
where it can be applied. Pending development of the
implementing measures required for the proper intro-
duction of the system of electronic identification Com-
munity-wide, an efficient identification and registration
system, enabling future developments in the field of
implementation of electronic identification on a Com-
munity-wide scale to be taken into account, should
permit the individual identification of animals and their
holding of birth.

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(6) OJ L 204, 11.8.2000, p. 1.
(7) OJ 121, 29.7.1964, p. 1977/64. Directive as last amended by
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1226/2002 (OJ L 179, 9.7.2002,
p. 13).

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To take into account future developments in the field of
electronic identification of ovine and caprine animals,
and in particular the experience gained in the implemen-
tation thereof, the Commission should submit to the
Council a report concerning the possible application of
the electronic identification system on a Community-
wide scale, together with the necessary proposals.

(18)

this Regulation is correctly
In order to ensure that
applied, it is necessary to provide for a rapid and effi-
cient exchange of information between Member States
on means of identification and related documents. Com-
munity provisions relating thereto were adopted by
Council Regulation (EC) No 515/97 of 13 March 1997
on mutual assistance between the administrative authori-
ties of the Member States and cooperation between the
latter and the Commission to ensure the correct applica-
tion of the law on customs and agricultural matters (1)
and by Council Directive 89/608/EEC of 21 November
1989 on mutual assistance between the administrative
authorities of
the Member States and cooperation
between the latter and the Commission to ensure the
legislation on veterinary and
correct application of
zootechnical matters (2).

(19) With a view to guaranteeing the reliability of

the
arrangements provided for in this Regulation, it is neces-
sary that Member States
and
adequate control measures, without prejudice to Council
Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December
1995 on the protection of the European Communities'
financial interests (3).

implement

suitable

(20)

In order to take into account the system established by
this Regulation for the granting of certain aids under
Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 of 29 September
2003 establishing common rules for direct support
schemes under the common agricultural policy and
establishing certain support schemes for farmers (4), that
Regulation should be amended accordingly.

(21)

The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Regulation should be adopted in accordance with
Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying
down the procedures for the exercise of implementing
powers conferred on the Commission (5),

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

(9)

(10)

(11)

(13)

(14)

(15)

(16)

(17)

in particular

in the light of

the
The Commission,
proceedings conducted by its Joint Research Centre,
should also provide detailed technical guidelines, defini-
tions and procedures for the technical characteristics of
identifiers and readers,
test procedures, acceptance
criteria and the certification model for approved test
laboratories, the procurement of appropriate identifiers
and readers, the application of identifiers, their reading
and recovery, the codification of identifiers, a common
glossary, a data dictionary and communication stan-
dards.

In Member States with a relatively small ovine or caprine
the introduction of an electronic
animal population,
identification system may well not be justified;
is
therefore advisable to allow such Member States to make
the system optional. Provision should also be made for a
rapid procedure to adjust the demographic thresholds
below which electronic identification may be made
optional.

it

(12)

In order to permit movements of ovine and caprine
animals to be traced, animals should be identified prop-
erly and all their movements should be traceable.

It is necessary for keepers of animals to maintain up-to-
date information on the animals on their holdings. The
minimum information required should be determined
on a Community basis.

Each Member State should establish a central register
compromising an up-to-date list of all keepers of animals
covered by this Regulation who are engaged in this
activity in its territory, and containing minimum infor-
mation laid down on a Community basis.

the purposes of

For
rapid and accurate tracing of
animals, each Member State should create a computer
database which will record all holdings in its territory
and the movements of the animals.

The nature of the means of
determined on a Community basis.

identification should be

1.
Each Member State shall establish a system for the identi-
fication and registration of ovine and caprine animals in
accordance with the provisions of this Regulation.

Persons involved in trade in animals should keep records
of their transactions, and the competent authority should
have access to those records on request.

(1) OJ L 82, 22.3.1997, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 351, 2.12.1989, p. 34.
(3) OJ L 312, 23.12.1995, p. 23.
(4) OJ L 270, 21.10.2003, p. 1.
(5) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

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This Regulation shall apply without prejudice to Com-
2.
munity rules which may be established for disease eradication
or control purposes, and without prejudice to Directive 91/
496/EEC and Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003.

By way of derogation Member States may extend the period,
which may not, however, exceed nine months, for animals kept
in extensive or free-range farming conditions. Member States
concerned shall
the derogation
inform the Commission of
granted. If necessary, implementing rules may be laid down in
accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 13(2).

Article 2

For the purpose of this Regulation:

(a) ‘animal’ shall mean any animal of the ovine or caprine

species;

(b) ‘holding’ shall mean any establishment, any structure, or in
the case of free-range farming, any environment, in which
animals are held, reared or handled on a permanent or
temporary basis, except veterinary practices or clinics;

(c) ‘keeper’ shall mean any natural or legal person with respon-
sibility for animals, even temporarily, except veterinary
practices or clinics;

(d) ‘competent authority’ shall mean the central authority or
authorities of a Member State responsible for, or entrusted
with, carrying out veterinary checks and implementing this
Regulation, or, in the case of monitoring for premiums, the
authority entrusted with implementing Regulation (EC) No
1782/2003;

(e) ‘intra-Community trade’ shall mean trade as defined in

Article 2(6) of Directive 91/68/EEC (1).

Article 3

The system for the identification and registration of

1.
animals shall comprise the following elements:

(a) means of identification to identify each animal;

(b) up-to-date registers kept on each holding;

(c) movement documents;

(d) a central register or a computer database.

the
The Commission and the competent authority of
2.
Member State concerned shall have access to all information
covered by this Regulation. The Member States and the
Commission shall take the measures necessary to ensure access
to that information for all parties having an interest, including
consumers' organisations recognised by the Member State,
provided that the data protection and confidentiality require-
ments prescribed by national law are complied with.

Article 4

1.
All animals on a holding born after 9 July 2005 shall be
identified in accordance with paragraph 2 within a period to be
determined by the Member State as from the birth of the
animal and in any case before the animal leaves the holding on
which it was born. That period shall not be longer than six
months.

(1) OJ L 46, 19.2.1991, p. 19.

2.

(a) Animals shall be identified by a first means of identifica-
tion which complies with the requirements of Section
A.1 to A.3 of the Annex, and,

(b) by a second means of identification approved by the
competent authority and conforming to the technical
characteristics listed in Section A.4 of the Annex.

(c) However, until the date referred to in Article 9(3), the
second means of identification may be replaced by the
system set out in Section A.5 of the Annex, except in
the case of animals involved in intra-Community trade.

(d) Member States which introduce the system referred to
in (c) shall apply to the Commission to have it approved
under the procedure provided for in Article 13(2). For
this purpose the Commission shall examine documenta-
tion submitted by Member States and shall conduct the
audits necessary to evaluate the system. When those
audits have been completed the Commission shall,
within 90 days of receipt of the request for approval,
submit to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain
and Animal Health a report together with a draft of
appropriate measures.

However for animals intended for slaughter before the
3.
age of 12 months and intended neither for intra-Community
the identification
trade nor for export
method described in Section A.7 of
the Annex may be
authorised by the competent authority as an alternative to the
means of identification mentioned in paragraph 2.

to third countries,

Any animal

imported from a third country, which has
4.
undergone after 9 July 2005 the checks laid down by Directive
91/496/EEC and which remains within the territory of the
Community shall be identified, in accordance with paragraph
2, at the holding of destination where livestock farming is
carried out within a period, to be determined by the Member
State, of no more than 14 days from undergoing those checks
and, in any event, before leaving the holding.

The original identification established by the third country shall
be recorded in the holding register provided for in Article 5
together with the identification code allocated to it by the
Member State of destination.

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However, the identification provided for in paragraph 1 is not
necessary for an animal intended for slaughter if the animal is
transported directly from the veterinary border inspection post
to a slaughterhouse situated in the Member State where the
checks referred to in the first subparagraph are carried out and
the animal is slaughtered within five working days of under-
going those checks.

Any animal originating in another Member State shall

5.
retain its original identification.

6.
No means of identification may be removed or replaced
without the permission of the competent authority. Where a
means of identification has become illegible or has been lost, a
replacement bearing the same code shall be applied as soon as
possible in accordance with this Article. In addition to the code
and distinct from it, the replacement may bear a mark with the
version number of the replacement.

However, the competent authority may, under its control, allow
the replacement means of identification to bear a different
code, provided that the objective of traceability is not compro-
mised, in particular in the case of animals identified in accord-
ance with paragraph 3.

Each keeper shall supply the competent authority, upon
5.
request, with all information concerning the origin, identifica-
tion and, where appropriate, the destination of animals which
the keeper has owned, kept, transported, marketed or slaugh-
tered in the last three years.

6. Member States shall communicate to each other and to
the Commission the model of the holding register used in their
territory, and, where applicable the derogation granted from
the provisions of paragraph 1.

Article 6

As from 9 July 2005 whenever an animal

1.
is moved
within the national territory between two separate holdings, it
shall be accompanied by a movement document based on a
model drawn up by the competent authority, containing at
least
the
the minimum information listed in Section C of
Annex, and completed by the keeper if the competent authority
has not already done this.

The means of

7.
identification shall be allocated to the
holding, distributed and applied to the animals in a manner
determined by the competent authority.

2. Member States may enter further information, in addition
to that contained in Section C of the Annex, on the movement
document referred to in paragraph 1, or require that such
information be entered.

8. Member States shall communicate to each other and to
the Commission the model of the means and the method of
identification used in their territory.

9.
Until the date referred to in Article 9(3), Member States
which have introduced electronic identification on a voluntary
basis in accordance with the provisions of Section A.4 and A.6
of the Annex shall ensure that the individual electronic identifi-
cation number and the characteristics of the means used are
mentioned in the relevant certificate pursuant to Directive 91/
68/EEC accompanying animals involved in intra-Community
trade.

Article 5

1.
Each keeper of animals, with the exception of the trans-
porter, shall keep an up-to-date register containing at least the
information listed in Section B of the Annex.

2. Member States may require keepers to enter further infor-
mation in the register referred to in paragraph 1, in addition to
that listed in Section B of the Annex.

The register shall be in a format approved by the compe-
3.
tent authority, kept in manual or computerised form, and be
available at all times on the holding and to the competent
authority, upon request, for a minimum period to be deter-
mined by the competent authority but which may not be less
than three years.

By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the register of
4.
information required by Section B of
the Annex shall be
optional in any Member State where a centralised computer
database which already contains this information is operational.

3.
The keeper at the holding of destination shall keep the
movement document for a minimum period to be determined
by the competent authority but which may not be less than
three years. On request, he shall
supply the competent
authority with a copy thereof.

By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the movement
4.
document shall be optional
in any Member State where a
centralised computer database containing at least the informa-
tion required by Section C of the Annex, except for the keeper's
signature, is operational.

5. Member States shall communicate to each other and to
the Commission the model of the movement document used in
their territory, and, where applicable, the derogation referred to
in paragraph 4.

Article 7

1. Member States shall ensure that the competent authority
has a central register of all the holdings relating to keepers of
animals in their territory except transporters.

2.
The register shall include the identification code of the
holding or, if authorised by the competent authority, that of
the keeper, other than transporter,
the
keeper, the type of production (meat or milk) and the species
kept. If the keeper keeps animals permanently, he shall make
an inventory of the animals kept at regular intervals fixed by
the competent authority of the Member State and in any case
at least annually.

the occupation of

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A holding shall remain on the central register until three
3.
consecutive years have elapsed with no animals on the holding.
With effect from 9 July 2005 the register shall be included in
the computer database referred to in Article 8(1).

Member States in which the total number of caprine animals is
160 000 or less may also make such electronic identification
optional for caprine animals not involved in intra-Community
trade.

Article 8

1.
As from 9 July 2005 the competent authority of each
Member State shall set up a computer database in accordance
with Section D.1 of the Annex.

Each keeper of animals, with the exception of the trans-
2.
porter, shall, within a period of 30 days as regards information
relating to the keeper or the holding and within a period of
seven days as regards information relating to movements of
animals, provide the competent authority with:

(a) the information for entry in the central register and the
outcome of the inventory, mentioned in Article 7(2), and
the information required for the setting up of the database
referred to in paragraph 1;

(b) in Member States applying the derogation referred to in
Article 6(4), each time an animal is moved, the details of
in the movement document
the movement, as set out
referred to in Article 6.

3.
The competent authority of each Member State may, if it
so wishes, set up a computer database containing at least the
information listed in Section D.2 of the Annex.

4. Member States may enter
in the computer database
referred to in paragraphs 1 and 3 further information in addi-
tion to that listed in Sections D.1 and D.2 of the Annex.

4.
The Commission shall submit to the Council by 30 June
2006 a report on the implementation of the electronic identifi-
cation system, accompanied by appropriate proposals, on
which the Council shall vote by qualified majority, confirming
or amending, if necessary, the date mentioned in paragraph 3
and updating, if necessary, the technical aspects relating to the
implementation of electronic identification.

Article 10

Amendments to the Annexes and measures necessary for
this Regulation shall be adopted in

1.
the implementation of
accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 13(2).

These measures shall concern in particular:

(a) the minimum level of checks to be carried out;

(b) the application of administrative penalties;

(c) the necessary transitional provisions for the start-up period

of the system.

In accordance with the procedure referred to in Article

2.
13(2), the following data may be updated:

(a) the deadlines for providing the information referred to in

Article 8(2);

(b) the demographic thresholds for livestock referred to in the

second and third subparagraphs of Article 9(3).

As from 1 January 2008, the database referred to in para-

5.
graph 3 shall be obligatory.

Article 11

Article 9

1.
Guidelines and procedures for the implementation of
electronic identification shall be adopted in accordance with
the procedure referred to in Article 13(2).

2.
The decisions referred to in paragraph 1 shall be adopted
in order to improve implementation of general electronic iden-
tification.

As

from 1 January 2008,

3.
identification
according to the guidelines referred to in paragraph 1, and in
accordance with the relevant provisions of Section A of the
Annex, shall be obligatory for all animals.

electronic

However, Member States in which the total number of ovine
and caprine animals is 600 000 or less, may make such elec-
tronic identification optional for animals not involved in intra-
Community trade.

1. Member States shall inform each other and the Commis-
sion of the identity of the competent authority responsible for
ensuring compliance with this Regulation.

2. Member States shall ensure that any person responsible
for the identification and registration of animals has received
instruction and guidance on the relevant provisions of the
Annex, and that appropriate training courses are available.

Article 12

1. Member States shall take all the necessary measures to
ensure compliance with the provisions of this Regulation. The
checks provided for shall be without prejudice to any checks
which the Commission may carry out pursuant to Article 9 of
Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95.

2. Member States shall
lay down the rules on penalties
applicable to infringements of this Regulation and shall take all
measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. The
penalties provided for must be effective, proportionate and
dissuasive.

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Experts from the Commission in conjunction with the

3.
competent authorities:

(a) shall verify that the Member States are complying with the

requirements of this Regulation;

(b) if necessary, shall make on-the-spot checks in order to
ensure that the checks provided for under paragraph 1 are
carried out in accordance with this Regulation.

A Member State in whose territory an on-the-spot check
4.
is made shall provide the experts from the Commission with
any assistance they may require in the performance of their
tasks.

The outcome of the checks made must be discussed with the
competent authority of the Member State concerned before a
final report is drawn up and circulated.

5. When the Commission deems that the outcome of checks
so justifies,
it shall review the situation within the Standing
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, referred to
in Article 13(1). It may adopt the necessary decisions in accord-
ance with the procedure referred to in Article 13(2).

6.
The Commission shall monitor developments in the situa-
tion. In the light of such developments and in accordance with
the procedure referred to in Article 13(2) it may amend or
repeal the decisions referred to in paragraph 5.

Detailed rules for the application of this Article shall be
in accordance with the procedure

7.
adopted, where necessary,
referred to in Article 13(2).

Article 13

The Commission shall be assisted by the Standing
1.
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, set up by
Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and
of the Council (1).

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and
7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply.

The period referred to in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC
shall be set at three months.

labelling of beef and beef products and, on the other hand,
with Council Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 of 17 December
2003 establishing a system for the identification and regis-
tration of ovine and caprine animals (**).

(*) OJ L 204, 11.8.2000, p. 1.
(**) OJ L 5, 9.1.2004, p. 8.’;

2.

in Article 25(2) the second subparagraph shall be replaced
by the following:

‘These systems, and notably the system for identification
and registration of animals set up in accordance with Direc-
tive 92/102/EEC, Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 and
Council Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 establishing a system
for the identification and registration of ovine and caprine
animals and amending Regulation (EEC) No 1782/2003,
shall be compatible, within the meaning of Article 26 of this
Regulation, with the integrated system.’;

3. Article 115(2) shall be replaced by the following:

‘2.
Once Council Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 estab-
lishing a system for the identification and registration of
ovine and caprine animals and amending Regulation (EEC)
No 1782/2003 becomes applicable,
the
premium an animal shall be identified and registered in
accordance with these rules.’;

to qualify for

4. the following point 8a shall be added to Section A of Annex

III:

‘8a.

Articles 3, 4 and 5’

Council Regulation (EC) No 21/
2004 of 17 December 2003
establishing a system for
the
identification and registration of
ovine and caprine animals and
amending Regulation (EC) No
1782/2003 and Directives 92/
102/EEC and 64/432/EEC (OJ L
5, 9.1.2004, p. 8).

Article 15

3.

The Committee shall adopt its Rules of Procedure.

Directive 92/102/EEC shall be amended as follows:

Article 14

Regulation (EEC) No 1782/2003 is hereby amended as follows:

1. Article 18(2) shall be replaced by the following:

‘2.
In the event of Articles 67, 68, 69, 70 and 71 being
applied, the integrated system shall incorporate a system for
the identification and registration of animals set up in
accordance, on the one hand, with Regulation (EC) No
1760/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council
of 17 July 2000 establishing a system for the identification
and registration of bovine animals (*) and regarding the

(1) OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1.

1. Article 2(a) shall be replaced by the following:

‘(a) animal shall mean any animal of the species referred to
in Directive 64/432/EEC (*) other than bovine animals.

(*) OJ 121, 29.7.1964, p. 1977/64.’

2. Article 3(2) shall be replaced by the following:

‘Member States may be authorised under the procedure laid
down in Article 18 of Directive 90/425/EEC to exclude
from the list in paragraph 1(a) natural persons who keep
one single pig which is intended for their own use or
consumption, or to take account of particular circum-
is subjected to the
stances, provided that
controls laid down in this Directive before any movement.’;

this animal

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3. Article 4 shall be amended as follows:

(a) paragraph 1(a) shall be amended as follows:

— in the first subparagraph, the words ‘bovine or’ shall

be deleted,

— in the second subparagraph, the words ‘of all births,
deaths and movements’ shall be replaced by ‘of
movements’,

— the fourth subparagraph shall be deleted;

(b) paragraph 1(b) shall be deleted;
(c) the first

subparagraph of paragraph 3(b)

shall be

replaced by the following:
‘any keeper of animals to be moved to or from a market
or collection centre provides a document, containing
details of the animals in question, to the operator, on
the market or in the collection centre, who is a keeper
of the animals on a temporary basis.’;

4. Article 5 shall be amended as follows:
(a) paragraph 2 shall be deleted;
(b) paragraph 3 shall be amended as follows:

— in the first subparagraph,

the words ‘other than

bovine animals’ shall be deleted,

— the second subparagraph shall be replaced by the

following text:
‘Member States may, pending the decision provided
for in Article 10 of this Directive and by derogation
from the second subparagraph of Article 3(1)(c) of
Directive 90/425/EEC, apply their national systems
for all movements of animals in their territories.
Such systems must enable the holding from which

they came and the holding on which they were born
to be identified. Member States shall notify the
Commission of the systems which they intend to
introduce for this purpose, as from 1 July 1993 for
pigs. In accordance with the procedure laid down in
Article 18 of Directive 90/425/EEC, a Member State
may be asked to make amendments to its system
where it does not fulfil the aforementioned require-
ment.’,

— the fourth subparagraph shall be deleted;

(c) paragraph 4 shall be deleted;

5. the first and third indents of Article 11(1) shall be deleted.

Article 16

Article 3(2)(d) of Directive 64/432/EEC shall be replaced by the
following text:

‘(d) be identified in accordance with the provisions of
Directive 92/102/EEC,
in the case of swine and in
accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No
1760/2000 in the case of bovine animals.’

Article 17

This Regulation shall enter
into force on the 20th day
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Union.

Articles 14, 15 and 16 shall apply with effect from 9 July
2005.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 17 December 2003.

For the Council

The President

G. ALEMANNO

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A. Means of identification

ANNEX

1. The eartags must be applied in a position where they are easily visible at a distance.

2. The eartags and the other means of identification must contain the following characters:

— the first characters identify the Member State of the holding where the animal was first identified. For this

purpose two-letter or three-digit country codes (1) are to be used in accordance with ISO 3166,

— the country code is followed by an individual one of no more than 13 digits.

In addition to the information provided for in this paragraph, the competent authorities of the Member States
may authorise a bar code and the addition of supplementary information by the keeper, provided that the
legibility of the identification number is not affected.

3. The first means of identification referred to in Article 4(2)(a) must consist in an eartag approved by the competent
authority, applied to one ear, and made of non-degradable material, tamper-proof and easy to read throughout
the lifetime of the animal and designed to remain attached to the animal without being harmful to it. The eartag
may not be reusable and the inscriptions provided for in point 3 must be non-removable.

4. The second means of identification referred to in Article 4(2)(b) may consist in:

— an eartag with the same characteristics as described in point 3,

or

— a tattoo, except for animals involved in intra-Community trade,

or

— solely in the case of caprine animals, a mark on the pastern,

or

— an electronic transponder in accordance with the characteristics listed in point 6.

5. The system referred to in Article 4(2)(c) requires the identification of the animals both by holding and individu-
ally, provides for a replacement procedure where a means of identification has become illegible or has been lost,
under the control of the competent authority and without compromising traceability between holdings, the objec-
tive being to control epizootic diseases, and allows the animals' movements to be traced within the national terri-
tory, with the same objective.

6. The electronic identifier must conform to the following technical characteristics:

— read-only passive transponders applying HDX- or FDX-B technology, complying with ISO standards 11784

and 11785,

— electronic identifiers must be readable by reading devices, complying with ISO standard 11785, capable of

reading HDX and FDX-B transponders,

— the reading distance for portable readers must be a minimum of 12 cm for eartags and a minimum of 20 cm
for ruminal boluses, and, for stationary readers, a minimum of 50 cm for both eartags and ruminal boluses.

(1) Austria
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom

AT
BE
DK
FI
FR
DE
EL
IE
IT
LU
NL
PT
ES
SE
UK

040
056
208
246
250
276
300
372
380
442
528
620
724
752
826.

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7. The identification method referred to in Article 4(3) is as follows:

— the animals are identified by an eartag approved by the competent authority, applied to one ear,

— the eartag must be of non-degradable material, tamper-proof, easy to read and designed to remain attached to
the animal without being harmful to it. The eartag may not be re-usable and must bear only non-removable
inscriptions,

— the eartag must contain at least the two-letter country code and the identification code of the holding of birth.

Member States using this method must inform the Commission and Member States in the framework of the
Committee referred to in Article 13(1). If animals identified in accordance with this point are kept beyond the age
of 12 months or are intended for intra-Community trade or export to third countries, they must be identified in
accordance with points 1 to 4.

B. Holding register

The holding register must contain at least the following information:

1. From 9 July 2005,

— the identification code of the holding,

— the address of the holding and the geographical coordinates or equivalent indication of the geographical loca-

tion of the holding,

— the type of production,

— the result of the latest inventory referred to in Article 7 and the date on which it was carried out,

— the name and address of the keeper,

— in the case of animals leaving the holding, the name of the transporter, the registration number of the part of
the means of transport carrying the animals, the identification code or the name and address of the holding of
destination or, in the case of animals moved to a slaughterhouse, the identification code or name of the
slaughterhouse and the date of departure, or a duplicate or a certified copy of the movement document
referred to in Article 6,

— in the case of animals arriving on the holding, the identification code of the holding from which the animal

was transferred and the date of arrival,

— information on any replacement of tags or electronic devices.

2. From the date set pursuant to Article 9(3), for each animal born after that date, the following up-to-date informa-

tion:

— the identification code of the animal,

— the year of birth and date of identification,

— the month and the year of death of the animal on the holding,

— the race and, if known, the genotype.

However, for animals identified in accordance with point 7 of Section A, the information referred to in point 2 of
that Section must be provided for each batch of animals having the same identification and must include the
number of animals.

3. The name and signature of the representative of the competent authority who has checked the register and the

date on which the check was carried out.

C. Movement document

1. The movement document must be completed by the keeper on the basis of a model drawn up by the competent

authority; it must contain at least the following information:

— the identification code of the holding,

— the name and address of the keeper,

— the total number of animals moved,

— the identification code of the holding of destination or of the next keeper of the animals or, when animals are
moved to a slaughterhouse, the identification code or the name and location of the slaughterhouse, or, in the
event of transhumance, the place of destination,

— the data concerning the means of transport and the transporter, including the transporter's permit number,

— the date of departure,

— the signature of the keeper.

2. With effect from the date set pursuant to Article 9(3), for animals identified in accordance with Section A, points
1 to 6, in addition to the information mentioned in paragraph 1 above, the movement document must contain
the individual identification code for each animal.

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D. Computer database

1. The computer database must contain at least the following information for each holding:

— the identification code of the holding,

— the address of the holding and the geographical coordinates or equivalent indication of the geographical loca-

tion of the holding,

— the name and address and occupation of the keeper,

— the species of animals,

— the type of production,

— the result of the inventory of animals mentioned in Article 7(2), and the date when the inventory was carried

out,

— a data field reserved for the competent authority in which it may enter animal health information, for example
restrictions on movements, status or other relevant information in the context of Community or national
programmes.

2. In accordance with Article 8, there must be an entry in the database for each separate movement of animals. The

entry must comprise at least the following information:

— the number of animals being moved,

— the identification code of the holding of departure,

— the date of departure,

— the identification code of the holding of arrival,

— the date of arrival.