EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 26.6.2026

COM(2026) 315 final

2026/0174(NLE)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Government of the Faroe Islands, of the other part as regards the provisions to implement the Protocol on veterinary matters supplementing the Agreement

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1.CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

The Agreement between the European Community , of the one part, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Government of the Faroe Islands, of the other part 1 (‘the Agreement’) aims to promote the expansion of reciprocal trade, foster economic activity, improve living and employment conditions, increase productivity and financial stability, provide fair conditions for trade competition, and contribute to the removal of trade barriers and encourage the harmonious development and expansion of world trade. The Agreement entered into force on 1 January 1997. To facilitate bilateral trade in animals and animal products, the Contracting Parties further concluded a Protocol on Veterinary Matters supplementing the Agreement 2  (the Protocol), forming an integral part of the Agreement. The Protocol entered into force on 1 January 2000.

The Joint Committee established by Article 31 of the Agreement, is responsible for the administration of the Agreement and ensures its proper implementation. The Joint Committee acts by mutual agreement.

In accordance with Article 2 of the Protocol, the Joint Committee is empowered to draw up a list of the Community veterinary provisions to be applied by the Faroe Islands, and conditions for the application of these provisions. Through its Decision 1/2001 3 the Joint Committee laid down the provisions to implement the Protocol. A veterinary sub-group under the Joint Committee set up by the Protocol is responsible to make recommendations to the Joint Committee in view of updating or amending those provisions.

Decision 1/2001 was last updated in 2008 by Decision No 1/2008 4 of the Joint Committee. Since that update, the relevant Union acquis has continued to evolve, in particular through the adoption of new legislative acts and amendments to existing acts falling within the scope of the Protocol.

In order to ensure the continued correct and uniform application of the Protocol, it is therefore necessary to update provisions to implement the Protocol so as to reflect the current state of the applicable Union acquis.

In addition, there is a need to improve the text of the provisions to implement the Protocol to offer more clarity on the commodities within its scope, the Union acts applied by the Faroe Islands and the applicable movement rules.

The present proposal therefore aims to repeal and replace Decision 1/2001 with a new Decision of the Joint Committee, introducing an up-to-date list of the relevant Union legislation to be applied by the Faroe Islands and setting out implementing provisions with enhanced clarity.

2.POSITION TO BE TAKEN ON THE UNION'S BEHALF

In order to establish the position to be taken on behalf of the Union within the Joint Committee established by the Agreement, a Council Decision pursuant to Article 218(9) TFEU is required.

The draft Joint Committee Decision attached to the present proposal repeals and replaces Decision 1/2001. The proposed Decision lists the applicable Union rules that the Faroe Islands shall apply, for the entry of animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products from third countries and defines that for those commodities the Union rules for their movement from one Member State into another shall apply to movements from the Union to the Faroe Islands. Furthermore, the proposed Decision lists the commodities for which the Faroe Islands shall apply the applicable Union rules and establishes that for movements of those listed commodities from the Faroe Islands to the Union, the Union rules for their movement from one Member State into another shall apply.

3.LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL

Summary of the proposed action

This is a proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the Union within the Joint Committee established by the Agreement, which should be based on the draft Joint Committee Decision in annex.

Legal Basis

Article 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof.

Choice of the instrument

Article 218(9) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union provides that a Council Decision establishes the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union in a body set up by an agreement, when that body is called upon to adopt decisions having legal effects.

4.Publication of the envisaged act

As the act of the Joint Committee will amend the provisions to implement the Veterinary protocol, it is appropriate to publish it in the Official Journal of the European Union after its adoption.

2026/0174 (NLE)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Government of the Faroe Islands, of the other part as regards the provisions to implement the Protocol on veterinary matters supplementing the Agreement

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(4), in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)The Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Government of the Faroe Islands, of the other part (‘the Agreement’) was concluded by the Union by Council Decision 97/126/EC 5 and entered into force on 1 January 1997.

(2)The Protocol on veterinary matters supplementing the Agreement (‘the Protocol’) was concluded by the Union by Council Decision 1999/778/EC and entered into force on 1 January 2000.

(3)Pursuant to Article 34 of the Agreement and Article 2 of the Protocol, the Joint Committee established by Article 31 of that Agreement (‘Joint Committee’) decides on the provisions to implement the Protocol.

(4)A veterinary subgroup under the Joint Committee set up in Article 2 of the Protocol, shall make recommendations to the Joint Committee with a view to amending or updating the legislation in question.

(5)Through its Decision 1/2001 6 the Joint Committee laid down the provisions to implement the Protocol.

(6)Based on the recommendations of the veterinary subgroup, the Joint Committee, during its next meeting, is to adopt a decision repealing and replacing the provisions to implement the Protocol.

(7)The new provisions to implement the Protocol aim to introduce an up-to-date list of the relevant Union legislation to be applied by the Faroe Islands and enhance clarity over the commodities covered.

(8)It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the Joint Committee as the Decision of the Joint Committee will be binding on the Union.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be taken on the Union's behalf in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Government of the Faroe Islands, of the other part, as regards amending the provisions to implement the Protocol on veterinary matters supplementing the Agreement shall be based on the draft decision of the Joint Committee attached to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Commission.

Done at Brussels,

(1)     OJ L 53, 22.2.1997, p. 2-135

(2)     OJ L 305, 30.11.1999, p. 26

(3)     OJ L 46, 16.02.2001 p. 24-29

(4)     OJ L 24, 28.1.2009, p. 30-33

(5)     OJ L 53, 22.2.1997, p. 1-136

(6)     OJ L 46, 16.02.2001 p. 24-29

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 26.6.2026

COM(2026) 315 final

ANNEX

to the

Proposal for a Council Decision

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Government of the Faroe Islands, of the other part as regards the provisions to implement the Protocol on veterinary matters supplementing the Agreement

ANNEX

[Draft] DECISION N …/2026 OF THE EU-FAROE ISLANDS JOINT COMMITTEE

Of xx xx 2026

laying down provisions to implement the Protocol on veterinary matters supplementing the Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Government of the Faroe Islands, of the other part and repealing Decision No 1/2001

THE EU-FAROE ISLANDS JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community, of the one part, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Government of the Faroe Islands, of the other part,

Having regard to the Protocol on veterinary matters supplementing the Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Government of the Faroe Islands, of the other part (‘the Protocol’), and in particular Article 2 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) The Parties agree that there is a need to update the provisions to implement the Protocol on veterinary matters supplementing the Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Government of the Faroe Islands, of the other part (‘the Protocol’), and have discussed the issue in the veterinary subgroup established under the European Union-Faroe Islands Joint Committee.

(2) Several references to the legal acts of the Union to in the provisions to implement the Protocol contained in Decision 1/2001 are no longer relevant, and references to relevant legal acts are missing. In addition, the Faroe Islands asked to ensure more clarity on rules applicable to the movement of by-products from fisheries and from aquaculture intended for animal feeding from the Faroe Islands to the EU and on the movement of horses born in the Faroe Islands to the EU.

(3) The Parties wish to maintain the flows of trade in animals and products of animal origin between the Union and the Faroe Islands, mainly fishery products for human consumption, animal by-products from fisheries and aquaculture, aquaculture animals, bivalve molluscs, horses and unprocessed wool.

(4) Such trade should be able to be carried out in accordance with the same rules as those applicable to movements of such animals and products within the Union which should therefore be referred to in this Decision. For that purpose, and given that new rules related to veterinary medicinal products have been adopted in the Union, imports from other third countries and from the Faroe Islands shall also respect the ban on using antimicrobials for promoting growth and increasing yield as well as the restrictions on antimicrobials designated as reserved for human use in the EU.

(5) The veterinary subgroup therefore recommended that this Decision repeals and replaces Decision No 1/2001.

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Applicable Union rules for movements from other third countries or territories into the Faroe Islands as well as movements between the Faroe Islands and the Union

1. The Faroe Islands shall apply:

(i) the applicable Union rules, referred to in Annex 1, concerning the entry of animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products into the Union from third countries to the entry of animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products into the Faroe Islands from third countries;

(ii) the applicable Union rules, referred to in Annex 1, concerning movements of animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products from one Member State into another to the movements of animals, products of animal origin or animal by-products from the Union to the Faroe Islands; and

(iii) the applicable Union rules, referred to in Annex 1 concerning those animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products listed in Annex 2 to such animals, products of animal origin or animal by-products.

2. The European Union shall apply the applicable Union rules, referred to in Annex 1, concerning movements of those animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products listed in Annex 2 from one Member State into another to the movements of such animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products between the Faroe Islands and the European Union.

3. The Faroe Islands and the Union shall cooperate in order to ensure that the animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products from the Faroe Islands can be authorised for entry into the Union.

Article 2

Financing of checks

The Faroe Islands undertake to perform checks on products of animal origin entering the Faroe Islands from third countries in accordance with the provisions of Articles 79, 80, 83(2), 84 and 85 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 as regards fees.

Article 3

Mutual assistance

The Faroe Islands undertake to apply the provisions laid down in Article 8 and Articles 102 to 108 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625.

Article 4

Information systems

1. The Faroe Islands shall use the TRACES system (TRAde Control and Expert System) referred to in Article 133(4) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 to notify Member States of movements and trade of animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products, where required under the Union provisions.

2. The Faroe Islands shall use the Union notification and reporting tool ADIS (Animal Disease Information System) referred to in Articles 4, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 of Regulation (EU) 2016/429.

Article 5

Repeal of Decision 1/2001

Decision No 1/2001 is hereby repealed.

Article 6

Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

ANNEX 1

Applicable rules to animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products as referred to in Article 1

The legal acts listed below are to be understood as implemented, supplemented or amended.

ANNEX 2

List of animals, products of animal origin and animal by-products

Fishery products for human consumption

Live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates, marine gastropods and products of animal origin from those animals intended for human consumption

Aquaculture animals

By-products from fisheries and from aquaculture

Registered horses

Unprocessed sheep’s wool

(1)     OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1 .

(2)     OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, p. 1 .

(3)     OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 55 .

(4)     OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 1 .

(5)     OJ L 35, 8.2.2005, p. 1 .

(6)     OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1 .

(7)     OJ L 4, 7.1.2019, p.43

(8)     OJ L 191, 20.7.2022, p. 58

(9)     OJ L 4, 7.1.2019, p. 1

(10)     OJ L 300, 14.11.2009, p. 1

(11)     OJ L 125, 23.5.1996, p. 3 .

(12)     OJ L 229, 1.9.2009, p. 1 .

(13)     OJ L 140, 30.5.2002, p. 10 .

(14)     OJ L 147, 31.5.2001, p. 1 .

(15)     OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 29 .

(16)     OJ L 152, 16.6.2009, p.11

(17)     OJ L 70, 16.3.2005, p. 1 .

(18)     OJ L 37, 13.2.1993, p. 1.