These Regulations amend provisions in Commission Decision 2000/572/EC, which lays down animal and public health and veterinary certification conditions for imports of meat preparations from third countries, and in the Trade in Animals and Related Products (Scotland) Regulations 2012 (“the 2012 Regulations”). The amendments relate to transitional import conditions for animal products which originate from certain third countries.

Regulation 2 amends Article 4za of Commission Decision 2000/572/EC, which modifies the import conditions for imports of meat preparations from countries and territories subject to special transitional import arrangements (EEA states, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Switzerland). It amends Article 4za to provide that the import condition that meat preparations have been deep frozen at the production plant or plants of origin does not apply until 1 July 2022, where the production plant or plants of origin are in one of those countries or territories.

Regulation 3 amends paragraph 5 of schedule 5 of the 2012 Regulations. Schedule 5 of the 2012 Regulations was made in exercise of powers conferred by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (c. 16) in order to address failures of retained EU law to operate effectively and other deficiencies arising from the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union. Paragraph 5 of schedule 5 makes provision regarding the conditions for importation of animals and related products from certain third countries during the transitional staging period provided for by Annex 6 to Regulation (EU) 2017/625 (EUR 2017/625). Regulation 3 removes the requirement that, from 1 January 2022, a health certificate accompany products of animal origin and animal by-products.

A Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.