1.The competent authority may authorise the importation and the transit of research and diagnostic samples, comprising derived products or animal by-products, including the animal by-products referred to in Article 25(1), in accordance with conditions which ensure the control of risks to public and animal health.
Such conditions shall include at least the following:
(a)the introduction of the consignment must have been authorised in advance by the competent authority of the Member State of destination; and
(b)the consignment must be sent directly from the point of entry into the Union to the authorised user.
2.Operators shall present research and diagnostic samples which are intended to be imported via a Member State, other than the Member State of destination, at an approved Union border inspection post listed in Annex I to Decision 2009/821/EC. At the border inspection post, those research and diagnostic samples shall not be subject to veterinary checks in accordance with Chapter I of Directive 97/78/EC. The competent authority of the border inspection post shall inform the competent authority of the Member State of destination of the introduction of the research and diagnostic samples by means of the TRACES system.
3.Operators handling research samples or diagnostic samples shall comply with the special requirements for disposal of research and diagnostic samples set out in Section 1 of Chapter III of Annex XIV hereto.