The EU animal health law

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

• It aims to prevent and control animal diseases that can be transmitted to other animals or humans.
• The animal health law is part of a package of measures proposed by the European Commission in May 2013 to strengthen the enforcement of health and safety standards for the entire agri-food chain.

KEY POINTS

This comprehensive regulation supports the European Union (EU) livestock and food production sectors and the related EU market in terms of sustainability, competitiveness, growth and jobs. It replaces and extends existing EU rules on animal health, bringing most of them together into one simpler law with a better focus on the key priorities in tackling disease. These priorities include:

• clearer responsibilities for farmers (livestock, fish and shellfish farms) and other people involved (e.g. vets) regarding early detection in order to prevent major disease outbreaks or prevent diseases from spreading to limit their damage;
• simplified administration for international trade in certain live animals and animal products (such as semen, ova and embryos);
• a clearer legal basis and better tools for veterinary authorities to fight potentially devastating transmissible diseases, particularly for surveillance, diagnosis and notification;
• more flexibility to adjust rules to local circumstances and emerging issues such as climate and social change;
• reducing adverse effects on animal and human health and the environment.

It sets out requirements for:

• disease prevention and preparation for possible outbreaks (e.g. biosecurity* measures) such as the use of diagnostic tools, vaccination and medical treatments;
• the identification and registration of animals and certain animal products (e.g. semen, ova, embryos) and the certification and tracing of their consignments;
• the entry of animals and animal products into the EU and their movement within the EU;
• disease control and eradication, including emergency measures such as restrictions on the movement of animals, culling and vaccination.

The rules cover animal diseases in all kept animals (including pets in some cases), wild animals and animal products, both terrestrial and aquatic. They do not directly cover animal welfare, although the link between the health of the animals and their welfare is recognised and taken into account when considering the impact of disease.

The EU animal health law is supplemented by the following:

• traceability and animal health requirements for movements within the EU of germinal products (semen, ova and embryos) of certain kept terrestrial animals, and the approval of germinal product establishments (establishments which produce or process germinal products);
• prevention and control of certain diseases;
• animal health requirements for 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;
• rules for establishments keeping terrestrial animals and hatcheries, and the traceability of certain kept terrestrial animals and hatching eggs;
• diseases subject to EU surveillance programmes, their geographical scope and diseases for which disease-free areas may be set up;
• animal health requirements for the movements within the EU of aquatic animals and products of animal origin from aquatic animals.

The regulations supplementing or implementing EU animal health law are:

• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/1629 on the listing of diseases;
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 on categories of listed diseases (see consolidated version);
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035 on establishments keeping terrestrial animals and hatcheries, and traceability (see consolidated version);
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/686 on movements within the EU of germinal products of certain kept terrestrial animals (see consolidated version);
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 on prevention and control of certain diseases (see consolidated version);
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688 on animal health requirements for movements within the EU of terrestrial animals and hatching eggs (see consolidated version);
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 on surveillance and eradication programmes for certain emerging diseases (see consolidated version);
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/690 on listed diseases subject to EU surveillance programmes;
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/691 on rules for aquaculture establishments;
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 on rules for entry into the EU and the movement and handling of certain animals, germinal products and products of animal origin (see consolidated version);
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/990 on animal health and certification requirements for movements within the EU of aquatic animals and products of animal origin;
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/999 on the approval of germinal product establishments and the traceability of germinal products of bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine and equine animals;
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2002 on reporting of listed diseases (see consolidated version);
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/2154 on animal health, certification and notification requirements for movements within the EU of products of animal origin from terrestrial animals;
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235 on animal health certificates for the entry into the EU and movements within the EU of consignments of certain categories of animals and goods (see consolidated version);
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2236 on model animal health certificates for the entry into the EU and movements within the EU of consignments of aquatic animals (see consolidated version);
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 on model animal health certificates for the entry into the EU and movements within the EU of consignments of terrestrial animals (see consolidated version);
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 on the lists of non-EU countries, territories or zones from which the entry into the EU of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin is permitted (see consolidated version);
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/520 on the traceability of certain kept terrestrial animals (see consolidated version);
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/963 on the identification and registration of equine animals and establishing model identification documents for those animals;
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2037 on obligation exemptions for the registration of aquaculture establishments and record-keeping of operators;
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/139 on the management, storage and replacement of stocks of the EU antigen, vaccine and diagnostic reagent banks and the biosecurity, biosafety and bio-containment requirements for the operation of those banks;
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/140 on to the EU antigen, vaccine and diagnostic reagent banks;
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1345 on the registration and approval of establishments keeping terrestrial animals and collecting, producing, processing or storing germinal products.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

The regulation has applied since 21 April 2021. However, it includes some transitional measures and repeals of older legislation that has applied since 21 April 2016.

BACKGROUND

For further information, see:

• Animal health law (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, pp. 1–208).

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

last update 22.03.2023