Regulation (EU) 2017/625 lays down rules for the performance of official controls and for action to be taken by the competent authorities in relation to the production of products of animal origin intended for human consumption.

Trichinella is a parasite which may be present in the meat of susceptible species such as pigs and causes food-borne illness in humans when infected meat is consumed. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/13752 lays down specific rules on official controls for Trichinella in meat, including laboratory examination of meat samples of all slaughter pigs.

Pending the result of the Trichinella examination, carcases may be cut into a maximum of six parts under certain conditions. For the production of certain specific products derived from domestic swine, warm cutting into more parts is required before the result of the Trichinella examination are available. For such specific products, cutting into more parts should therefore be allowed provided that the safety of the meat is ensured.

The Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1375 provides for a derogation from Trichinella examination at entry into the Union where pigs are coming from officially Trichinella-free holdings applying controlled housing conditions. A third country can only apply this derogation if it has informed the Commission of the application of such derogation and if it has been listed for that purpose by the Commission.

In this regard, Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2015/1375 refers to third countries listed in Commission Regulation (EU) No 206/20103 and Commission Decision 2007/777/EC4. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/6925 repeals Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 and Decision 2007/777/EC with effect from 21 April 2021. Therefore, and for reasons of simplification, the possibility to lay down lists of third countries applying the derogations on Trichinella should therefore be provided for directly in that Implementing Regulation.

Article 126(2)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and Article 13 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/6256 require that consignments of certain animals and good should be accompanied by an official certificate to ensure that the animals and goods comply with the relevant requirements established by the rules referred to in Article 1(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625. Article 14 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1375, which requires attestation on Trichinella examination or Trichinella status of the holding to be inserted into the official certificates for intra-Union trade in live domestic swine and for entry into the Union of such swine and their meat, has therefore become redundant and should therefore be deleted.

Chapter I of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1375 sets a reference method of detection of Trichinella in samples collected from carcases of domestic swine. In 2015, the International Organization for Standardization adopted global standard ISO 18743:2015 specifying a method of detection of Trichinella spp. muscle stage larvae in meat of individual animal carcasses intended for human consumption. The reference method of detection of Trichinella, laid down in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1375 complies with the requirements of ISO 18743:2015.

It is therefore appropriate to replace the reference method in Regulation (EU) 2015/1375 by ISO 18743:2015 to bring the Union reference method in line with this global standard. This will facilitate export of pig meat from the Union, without creating any additional requirements or burden to European laboratories using the reference methods for official controls.

Since Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 and Decision 2007/777/EC are only repealed from 20 April 2021, the amendment of listing of third countries and model certificates should only apply from that date.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,