Model animal health/official certificates for hatching eggs (poultry) and captive birds (racing pigeons)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/37 of 12 January 2022 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 as regards model animal health certificates and model animal health/official certificates, for the entry into the Union and movements between Member States of consignments of certain species and categories of poultry and captive birds and germinal products thereof

Update

The EU has adopted revised animal health/official certificates – mandatory from 15 September 2022 – for export of hatching eggs and captive birds to the EU, reflecting new requirements for consignments of hatching eggs of poultry regarding inspection of the flock of origin, and a derogation on animal health requirements for racing pigeons.

Impacted Products

eggs, poultry

What is changing?

The new Regulation introduces:

• new requirements for consignments of hatching eggs of poultry regarding the inspection of their flock of origin to allow a time frame of 72 instead of 24 hours for clinical inspection of the flock of origin (Model HEP box II.1.4.h and Model HER box II.1.5.g)
• derogation (exemption) from the specific animal health requirements for racing pigeons from a third country (or territory or zone) where they are normally kept, which will be immediately released with the expectation that they will fly back to that third country (Model RACING PIGEONS-IMMEDIATE RELEASE).

Why?

Recent changes to legislation need to be reflected in the model certificates:

• Art. 107 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692, amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1705, laying down new requirements for consignments of hatching eggs of poultry as regards the inspection of their flock of origin
• Art. 62 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692, amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1705, introducing a derogation from the specific animal health requirements for captive birds for entry into the Union of racing pigeons from a third country.

Timeline

Date of publication: 13 January 2022

Date of entry into application: 16 January 2022

Transitional period ended on 15 September 2022

What are the major implications for exporting countries?

Full conformity with the new model certificates has been mandatory since 15 September 2022.

Recommended Actions

Countries exporting hatching eggs (poultry) and captive birds (racing pigeons) to the EU must use the corresponding amended model certificates from 15 September onwards.

Background

Countries exporting live animals and products of animal origin to the EU must send consignments together with animal health/official certificates signed by their official veterinarians. The aim is to guarantee that the consignments fulfil the EU legislation requirements.

These certificates are laid down by implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 for terrestrial animals and germinal products (semen, ova and embryos); and by Regulation (EU) 2020/2235 for certain categories of animals (fish, insects, snails), products of animal origin, composite products, sprouts and seeds in compliance with the Animal Health Law Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and the official control Regulation (EU) 2017/625.

Sources