Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1 Subject matter

This Regulation lays down the animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals and the rules for compliance checks on such movement.

Article 2 Scope

1. This Regulation shall apply to the non-commercial movement of pet animals into a Member State from another Member State or from a territory or a third country.

2. This Regulation shall apply without prejudice to:

(a) Regulation (EC) No 338/97;

(b) any national measures adopted, published and made available to the public by Member States to restrict the movement of certain species or breeds of pet animals on the basis of considerations other than those relating to animal health.

Article 3 Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:

(a)

‘non-commercial movement’ means any movement which does not have as its aim either the sale of or the transfer of ownership of a pet animal;

(b)

‘pet animal’ means an animal of a species listed in Annex I accompanying its owner or an authorised person during non-commercial movement, and which remains for the duration of such non-commercial movement under the responsibility of the owner or the authorised person;

(c)

‘owner’ means a natural person indicated as the owner in the identification document;

(d)

‘authorised person’ means any natural person who has authorisation in writing from the owner to carry out the non-commercial movement of the pet animal on behalf of the owner;

(e)

‘transponder’ means a read-only passive radio frequency identification device;

(f)

‘identification document’ means a document drawn up in accordance with the model set out in implementing acts to be adopted pursuant to this Regulation, that enables the pet animal to be clearly identified and its health status to be checked for compliance with this Regulation;

(g)

‘authorised veterinarian’ means any veterinarian who has been authorised by the competent authority to carry out specific tasks in accordance with this Regulation or with acts adopted pursuant to this Regulation;

(h)

‘official veterinarian’ means any veterinarian appointed by the competent authority;

(i)

‘documentary check’ means verification of the identification document accompanying the pet animal;

(j)

‘identity check’ means verification for consistency between the identification document and the pet animal and where appropriate, for the presence and conformity of the marking;

(k)

‘travellers’ point of entry’ means any area designated by Member States for the purposes of the checks referred to in Article 34(1).

Article 4 General obligation

Non-commercial movement of pet animals that complies with the animal health requirements laid down in this Regulation shall not be prohibited, restricted or impeded on animal health grounds other than those resulting from the application of this Regulation.

Article 5 Maximum number of pet animals

1. The maximum number of pet animals of the species listed in Part A of Annex I which may accompany the owner or an authorised person during a single non-commercial movement shall not exceed five.

2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the maximum number of pet animals of the species listed in Part A of Annex I may exceed five if the following conditions are fulfilled:

(a) the non-commercial movement of pet animals is for the purpose of participating in competitions, exhibitions or sporting events or in training for such events;

(b) the owner or the authorised person submits written evidence that the pet animals are registered either to attend an event referred to in point (a), or with an association organising such events;

(c) the pet animals are more than six months old.

3. Member States may undertake standard spot checks to verify that the information submitted under point (b) of paragraph 2 is correct.

4. Where the maximum number of pet animals referred to in paragraph 1 is exceeded and the conditions referred to in paragraph 2 are not fulfilled, those pet animals shall comply with the animal health requirements laid down in Directive 92/65/EEC for the species concerned and Member States shall ensure that those animals are subject to the veterinary checks provided for in Directives 90/425/EEC or 91/496/EEC, as appropriate.

5. In order to prevent commercial movement of pet animals of the species listed in Part B of Annex I from being fraudulently disguised as non-commercial movement, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 39 laying down rules setting the maximum number of pet animals of those species that may accompany the owner or an authorised person during a single non-commercial movement.

6. The Commission shall submit a report to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of this Article not later than 29 June 2018. The Commission shall, where necessary, propose amendments to this Regulation on the basis of its report.