PURPOSE: to extend the transitional period for derogations in Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 until 31 August 2009.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EC) No 454/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 on the animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movements of pet animals, as regards the extension of the transitional period.

CONTENT: the Council adopted this amendment to Regulation (EC) No 998/2003, extending until 30 June 2010 the transitional period for special entry requirements applicable in some Member States with regard to rabies, echinococcosis and ticks. It is recalled that Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 provides that for a transitional period of five years (i.e. until 3 July 2008), the entry of pet dogs and cats into Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom is subject to special requirements, taking into account the particular situations in those Member States with regard to rabies.

In addition, Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 provides that until 3 July 2008 , those Member States which have special rules for the control of echinococcosis and ticks may make the entry of pet animals into their territories subject to compliance with those requirements. Finland, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom apply their specific entry rules relating to echinococcosis. Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom require pet dogs and cats to undergo additional treatment against ticks that must also be certified in the animals’ passports.

Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 provides that the transitional regimes are to be reviewed before the end of the transitional period. Accordingly, the Commission was required to submit, before 1 February 2007, a report on the need to maintain the serological test, together with appropriate proposals for determining the regime to be applied after the transitional regimes. That report should be based on the experience gained so far and on a risk evaluation, to be based on a scientific opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). However, because the scientific assessment has taken longer than envisaged, the Commission’s report has been delayed. To enable sufficient account to be taken of the conclusions of the report, the expiry of the transitional regimes need to be postponed. The transitional regimes are extended until 30 June 2010.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 24/06/2008.

The European Parliament adopted, by 567 votes to 2, a legislative resolution amending the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 on the animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movements of pet animals as regards the extension of the transitional period. The report had been tabled for consideration in plenary by Miroslav OUZKY (EPP-ED, CZ) on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

The amendments – adopted under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure –were the result of a compromise between Parliament and Council:

- the transitional period was extended to 30 June 2010 (rather than 31 August 2009) for the entry of the pet animals listed in Part A of Annex I into the territory of Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom, which will thereafter be subject to certain requirements;

-until 30 June 2010, Finland, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as regards echinococcosis, and Ireland Malta and the United Kingdom, as regards ticks, may make the entry of pet animals into their territory subject to compliance with the special rules in place on the date on which this Regulation comes into force. This amendment aims at completing the list of countries applying already special requirements concerning ticks with Malta. By mistake in the Commission proposal the name of Malta had not been mentioned amongst those Member States having already a special regime in place regarding anti-tick treatment.

Lastly, the transitional regimes provided for in Articles 6 and 16 of Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 expire on 3 July 2008. Article 23 of that Regulation provides that the transitional regimes are to be reviewed before the end of the transitional period. The date 1 January 2008 was replaced with the date 1 July 2010

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted a report drawn up by Miroslav OUZKY (EPP-ED, CZ) and made three amendments to the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 on the animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movements of pet animals as regards the extension of the transitional period:

-it extended the transitional period to 30 June 2010 (rather than 31 August 2009) for the entry of the pet animals listed in Part A of Annex I into the territory of Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom, which will thereafter be subject to certain requirements;

-until 30 June 2010, Finland, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as regards echinococcosis, and Ireland Malta and the United Kingdom, as regards ticks, may make the entry of pet animals into their territory subject to compliance with the special rules in place on the date on which this Regulation comes into force. This amendment aims at completing the list of countries applying already special requirements concerning ticks with Malta. By mistake in the Commission proposal the name of Malta had not been mentioned amongst those Member States having already a special regime in place regarding anti-tick treatment.

The Committee stated that the proposed extension of the transitional period may not be sufficiently long to obtain agreement on a successor regime and a longer one is more appropriate given there is still no proposal on the table and the European Parliament will be dissolved for elections in 2009.

The third amendment replaces the date 1 January 2008 by the date 1 July 2010 for the same reason.

PURPOSE: to extend the transitional period for derogations in Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 until 31 August 2009.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT: Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 harmonises the rules for the non commercial movement of pet animals between Member States or after entry or re-entry into the Community from third countries. It entered into force on 3 July 2003 and applies to pet animals when travelling with their owners.

The Regulation introduced, inter alia, the pet passport for cats, dogs and ferrets when being moved from one Member State to another, which provides proof that the animal has been vaccinated against rabies. This is the sole requirement for pets to travel to all Member States.

However, the Regulation provides for specific derogative conditions for the movement of pet animals to certain Member States for a transitional period of five years starting from the date of entry into force, i.e. until 3 July 2008. Accordingly, the entry of pet dogs and cats into the territory of Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom is subject to special requirements, taking into account the particular situation in those Member States with regard to rabies. In addition, certain Member States have a derogation for the control of echinococcosis and ticks. Finland, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom apply their specific entry rules relating to echinococcosis; Malta, Ireland and the United Kingdom require pet dogs and cats to undergo an additional treatment against ticks that must also be certified in the animal's passport.

These derogations should be reviewed by 3 July 2008, in the light of the experience gained by Member States and of a scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

To this end, the Commission was required to submit to the European Parliament and to the Council, before 1 February 2007, a report on the need to maintain the serological test, together with appropriate proposals for determining the regime to be applied after the transitional period. Because the scientific assessment has taken longer than envisaged, the Commission report has been delayed. In order to be able to take the conclusions of the report sufficiently into consideration, it is proposed to extend the above transitional period.

PURPOSE: to extend the transitional period for derogations in Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 until 31 August 2009.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT: Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 harmonises the rules for the non commercial movement of pet animals between Member States or after entry or re-entry into the Community from third countries. It entered into force on 3 July 2003 and applies to pet animals when travelling with their owners.

The Regulation introduced, inter alia, the pet passport for cats, dogs and ferrets when being moved from one Member State to another, which provides proof that the animal has been vaccinated against rabies. This is the sole requirement for pets to travel to all Member States.

However, the Regulation provides for specific derogative conditions for the movement of pet animals to certain Member States for a transitional period of five years starting from the date of entry into force, i.e. until 3 July 2008. Accordingly, the entry of pet dogs and cats into the territory of Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom is subject to special requirements, taking into account the particular situation in those Member States with regard to rabies. In addition, certain Member States have a derogation for the control of echinococcosis and ticks. Finland, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom apply their specific entry rules relating to echinococcosis; Malta, Ireland and the United Kingdom require pet dogs and cats to undergo an additional treatment against ticks that must also be certified in the animal's passport.

These derogations should be reviewed by 3 July 2008, in the light of the experience gained by Member States and of a scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

To this end, the Commission was required to submit to the European Parliament and to the Council, before 1 February 2007, a report on the need to maintain the serological test, together with appropriate proposals for determining the regime to be applied after the transitional period. Because the scientific assessment has taken longer than envisaged, the Commission report has been delayed. In order to be able to take the conclusions of the report sufficiently into consideration, it is proposed to extend the above transitional period.