(1)

Regulation (EU) 2017/625 lays down rules for official controls and other official activities performed by the competent authorities of the Member States in order to verify compliance with Union legislation in the area of, among others, food safety at all stages of the production, processing and distribution process. In particular, it provides that certain animals and goods are only to enter the Union from a third country or region thereof which appears on a list drawn up by the Commission for that purpose.

(2)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/625 (2) supplements Regulation (EU) 2017/625. In particular, Article 3 of that Delegated Regulation lays down rules regarding certain animals and goods that are only permitted to enter the Union from third countries or regions thereof included in the list for such animals and goods laid down in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626 (3).

(3)

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626 lays down or refers to such lists of third countries or regions thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals and goods intended for human consumption.

(4)

Article 10 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626 provides that consignments of raw milk, colostrum, dairy products and colostrum-based products intended for human consumption are only authorised for the entry into the Union if they come from third countries or regions thereof authorised for import into the Union in accordance with Article 2 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 605/2010 (4). Before the date of application of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626, other third countries were also authorised based on public health requirements for the import of consignments of certain dairy products by references to Articles 3 and 4 of Regulation (EU) No 605/2010. These references to Articles 3 and 4 of Regulation (EU) No 605/2010 were erroneously not included in Article 10 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626 and should be added. Article 10 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5)

Article 20 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626 provides that consignments of insects intended for human consumption are only authorised for entry into the Union if such foods have originated in and been consigned from a third country or region thereof, listed in in Annex IIIa to that Implementing Regulation. Third countries and regions thereof should only be authorised for the entry into the Union of insects and duly listed if they provide appropriate evidence and guarantees that they comply with the requirements laid down in Article 127(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and Article 4 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/625.

(6)

On 4 December 2019, Thailand submitted to the Commission the relevant questionnaire for evaluation for the export of insects intended for human consumption to the EU.

(7)

On 6 April 2020, Thailand provided sufficient evidence and guarantees to the Commission to be included in the list of third countries or regions thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of insects. Thailand should therefore be included in the list set out in Annex IIIa to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/626, and that Annex should be amended accordingly.

(8)

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 10 is replaced by the following:

(2)

Annex IIIa is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.