(1)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 (3) establishes model certificates, in the form of animal health certificates or animal health/official certificates for movements between Member States, and the entry into the Union, of consignments of certain categories of terrestrial animals and germinal products thereof. Those consignments include those falling within the scope of Commission Delegated Regulations (EU) 2020/688 (4) and (EU) 2020/692 (5).

(2)

Chapter 18 of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 sets out the model animal health/official certificate for the movement between Member States of less than 20 heads of poultry other than ratites or less than 20 hatching eggs of poultry other than ratites (model ‘POU-INTRA-LT20’). Article 37 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 was recently amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1706 (6) in order to provide a derogation for movements of consignments of less than 20 heads of day-old chicks of poultry other than ratites, hatched from hatching eggs which have entered into the Union from a third country or territory or zone thereof. That amendment should be reflected in that model animal health/official certificate. Chapter 18 of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 should be therefore amended accordingly.

(3)

Chapter 19 of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 sets out the model animal health/official certificate for the movement between Member States of poultry intended for slaughter (model ‘POU-INTRA-Y’). Articles 29 and 44 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 (7) lay down specific conditions for authorising movements for slaughter of kept animals of listed species that are in a protection or surveillance zone following the confirmation of an outbreak of a category A disease. Those specific conditions should be reflected in that model animal health/official certificate. Chapter 19 of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 should be therefore amended accordingly.

(4)

In Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403, Chapter 27 sets out model animal health/official certificate for the entry into the Union of hatching eggs of poultry other than ratites (model ‘HEP’) and Chapter 28 the model animal health certificate for the entry into the Union of hatching eggs of ratites (model ‘HER’). Article 107 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 was recently amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1705 (8) in order to lay down new requirements for consignments of hatching eggs of poultry as regards the inspection of their flock of origin. Those new requirements should be reflected in those model certificates. Chapters 27 and 28 of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 should be therefore amended accordingly.

(5)

Chapter 34 of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 sets out the model animal health certificate for entry into the Union of captive birds (model ‘CAPTIVE-BIRDS’). Article 62 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 was recently amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1705, in order to introduce a derogation from the specific animal health requirements for captive birds for entry into the Union of racing pigeons from a third country or territory or zone thereof where they are normally kept, with the intention to be immediately released with the expectation that they will fly back to that third country or territory or zone thereof. Those amendments should therefore be reflected in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 by excluding that category of captive birds from that model animal health certificate and by establishing instead a new model animal health certificate for the entry into the Union of racing pigeons to be immediately released after entry (model ‘RACING PIGEONS-IMMEDIATE RELEASE’). It is therefore necessary to amend Chapter 34 of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 and to add a new Chapter 34a to that Annex.

(6)

Annexes I and II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7)

Article 17 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 lists the models of the animal health certificates and animal health/official certificates to be used for the entry into the Union of certain categories of birds and germinal products. It is therefore necessary to amend it to include in that list a reference to the new model ‘RACING PIGEONS-IMMEDIATE RELEASE’ to be inserted in new Chapter 34a of Annex II thereto.

(8)

In order to avoid any disruption to trade as regards the entry into the Union of consignments concerned by the amendments to be made to Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 by this Regulation, the use of certificates issued in accordance with Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403, as applicable prior to the amendments made by this Regulation, should continue to be authorised during a transitional period subject to certain conditions.

(9)

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

1.

Article 17 is amended as follows:

2.

Annexes I and II are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.