From 21st April 2021, the EU will operate a new single, comprehensive regulatory framework for animal health, replacing a miscellany of complex law. The instrument (amended in 2017) is here. It’s a 2016 dated EU Regulation 2016/429, and applies to terrestrial and aquatic animals, animal products, and pets. It does not directly deal with animal welfare.
Q&A on the EU Animal Health Law is here.
The EU Animal Health Law sets out requirements for:
• disease prevention and preparation (e.g. biosecurity measures) for eventual outbreaks, such as the use of diagnostic tools, vaccination and medical treatments;
• the identification and registration of animals and the certification and tracing of their consignments, as well as those of certain animal products (e.g. semen, ova, embryos);
• the entry of animals and animal products into the EU and movement within;
• disease control and eradication, including emergency measures such as restrictions on the movement of animals, killing and vaccination.
The EU’s Animal Health Law is supplemented in the following aspects:
• the approval of germinal product establishments and the traceability and animal health requirements for movements within the EU of germinal products of certain kept terrestrial animals;
• prevention and control of certain diseases;
• animal health requirements for the movements within the EU of terrestrial animals and hatching eggs;
• surveillance, eradication and disease free status for certain diseases;
• rules for aquaculture establishments and transporters of aquatic animals;
• rules for entry into the EU, and the movement and handling after entry of consignments of certain animals, germinal products and products of animal origin; and
• rules for establishments keeping terrestrial animals and hatcheries, and the traceability of certain kept terrestrial animals and hatching eggs;
• diseases subject to union surveillance programmes, its geographical scope and diseases for which disease-free status of compartments may be established.
A series of delegated Regulations and an implementing Regulation supplement the EU Animal Health Law.