Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 as regards the date of introduction of electronic identification for ovine and caprine animals
Date: 2007-11-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: goat, health control, sheep, traceability, veterinary legislation

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 15.11.2007 
COM(2007) 710 final 

2007/0244 (CNS) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

amending Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 as regards the date of introduction of electronic 
identification for ovine and caprine animals 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

According  to  Regulation  (EC)  No  21/2004,  the  Commission  is  required  to  examine  the 
experience gained from several projects carried out in Member States on the implementation 
of  the  electronic  identification  (EID)  systems  and  to  submit  a  report  to  the  Council.  This 
report should be accompanied  by  a proposal  on which  the Council  shall  vote  confirming or 
amending  the  date  of  1  January  2008  for  the  obligatory  introduction  of  electronic 
identification. 

The Commission report indicates that a wider stakeholder discussion, in particular about the 
economic  impact  of  the  introduction  of  electronic  identification,  should  take  place  before  a 
final date for the mandatory use of EID is fixed.  

Regulation  (EC)  No 21/2004  should  therefore  be  amended  in  order  to  lay  down  the 
procedures for the establishment of the date on which EID of sheep and goats shall become 
obligatory. 

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2007/0244 (CNS) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

amending Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 as regards the date of introduction of electronic 
identification for ovine and caprine animals 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article 37 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission1, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament2, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee3, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

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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  animals4provides  that  each 
Member  State is to  establish  a  system for the identification and registration of ovine 
and caprine animals in accordance with the provisions of that Regulation. 

Article  9(3)  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  21/2004  provides  that,  as  from  1  January  2008, 
electronic  identification  is  to  become  obligatory  for  all  animals  covered  by  that 
Regulation. 

In addition, Article 9(4) of that Regulation provides that the Commission is to submit 
to  the  Council,  by  30  June  2006,  a  report  on  the  implementation  of  the  electronic 
identification system, accompanied by appropriate proposals, on which the Council is 
to  vote  confirming  or  amending,  if  necessary,  the  date  of  the  introduction  of  the 
obligatory use of that system. 

The  Commission  report  indicates  that  a  wider  stakeholder  discussion,  in  particular 
about the economic impact of the introduction of electronic identification, should take 
place  before  a  final  date  for  the  obligatory  use  of  that  system  is  fixed.  Accordingly, 
more time is needed in order to consult stakeholders and take into consideration their 
comments. 

OJ L xx, xx.xx. xxxx, p. xx. 
OJ L xx, xx.xx. xxxx, p. xx. 
OJ L xx, xx.xx. xxxx, p. xx. 
OJ  L  5,  9.1.2004,  p.  8.  Regulation  as  amended  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  1791/2006  (OJ  L  363, 
20.12.2006, p. 1). 

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(5) 

A number of Member States have already developed the technology necessary for the 
introduction  of  electronic  identification  and  gained  significant  experience  with  its 
implementation. They should not be prevented from introducing it at national level if 
they consider it appropriate. Their experience would provide the Commission and the 
other Member States with further valuable information on the technical implications of 
electronic  identification  and  on  its  impact,  which  is  to  be  taken  into  account  in 
establishing the date on which it should become obligatory at Community level. 

(6) 

Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 should therefore be amended accordingly, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 is amended as follows: 

Article 1 

(1) 

In Article 9(3), the first subparagraph shall be replaced by the following: 

"3.  As from a date to be established in accordance with the procedure referred to in 
Article 13(2), electronic identification according to the guidelines referred to in 
paragraph 1 of this Article, and in accordance with the relevant provisions of 
Section A of the Annex, shall be obligatory for all animals born after that date. 
That date: 

(a) 

shall  be  established  on  the  basis  of  the  assessment  of  the  technical 
implications,  of  the  costs  and  of  the  overall  impact  of  the  use  of 
electronic identification; 

(b)  must  be  established  no  later  than  12  months  before  the  date  the  use  of 

electronic identification becomes obligatory." 

(2) 

Article 9(4) shall be replaced by the following: 

"4.  Member States may introduce the obligatory use of electronic identification for 
animals born on their territory before the date to be established, as provided for 
in paragraph 3." 

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

Article 2 

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

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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