(1)

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 repeals Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) from 22 April 2026. Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 provides that the antibody titration test is not required for pet animals that are being moved into a Member State from a third country or territory to be listed by means of an implementing act adopted pursuant to Article 13 of that Regulation. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013 (3) established two lists in its Annex II. The first includes those third countries or territories that have demonstrated that they apply rules the content and effect of which are the same as those applied by Member States, and the second list includes those third countries or territories that have demonstrated that they meet at least the criteria laid down in Article 13(2) of Regulation (EU) No 576/2013. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/705 (4) repeals Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013 from 22 April 2026.

(2)

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 lays down rules for the prevention and control of animal diseases that are transmissible to animals or to humans, including among other things, the animal health requirements applicable to non-commercial movements of pet animals into a Member State from another Member State or from a third country or territory.

(3)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 (5) supplements Regulation (EU) 2016/429 as regards animal health requirements for non-commercial movements of pet animals. Article 17(1) of that Delegated Regulation provides that pet dogs, pet cats or pet ferrets moved for non-commercial purposes into the Union from third countries or territories included in lists set out in the Annexes to this Regulation are not required to undergo a rabies antibody titration test. It is therefore appropriate to establish those lists in Annexes I and II to this Regulation.

(4)

Since the lists provided for in Article 17(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 and the requirements for being included in these lists are essentially the same as those provided for in Article 13(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) No 576/2013, the lists of third countries or territories included in Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013 should be set out in this Regulation, and applicable from 22 April 2026 when Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013 is repealed and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 start to apply, so as to avoid any unnecessary disruptions to non-commercial movements of pet dogs, pet cats and pet ferrets.

(5)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1933 (6) provides for an exemption of certain non-commercial movements of pet birds, based on the origin of the pet birds, from the scope of application of that Regulation. In particular, it excludes the application of the provisions laid down in that Regulation to non-commercial movements of pet birds from a number of third countries or territories where those movements present only a minimal animal health risk to the Union. It also excludes non-commercial movements from Norway, which according to points 10 and 10a of Annex I to the EEA Agreement is not to be considered as a third country in respect of the application of Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 or Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013, from the scope of application of that Regulation. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 repeals Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1933 with effect from 22 April 2026. In order to avoid unnecessary disruptions to non-commercial movements of pet birds coming from third countries or territories considered as presenting a minimal health risk, it is appropriate to set out, in Annex III to this Regulation those same third countries or territories as falling under the derogation in Article 28 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 and ensure that non-commercial movements from those third countries or territories are exempted from certain species related animal health requirements as of 22 April 2026 when Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1933 is repealed and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 starts to apply.

(6)

Since Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 applies from 22 April 2026, this Regulation should enter into force as a matter of urgency and should also apply from 22 April 2026.

(7)

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