Part 2, Chapter III, Section 2, Article 21 · Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/963

Contents

Article 21Time periods for identification#

1.The operator of an equine animal shall ensure that an equine animal under his or her responsibility is identified within a time period to be determined by the Member State and not exceeding 12 months after the date of birth of the animal and in any case, before the animal leaves the establishment of birth for a period exceeding 30 days, except where:

(a)the derogations provided for in Article 66(2)(c) or (e) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035 apply; or

(b)such movement takes place in accordance with Article 43(2); or

(c)the equine animal belongs to a population of equine animals living under semi-wild conditions and the conditions of Article 60 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035 apply.

2.By way of derogation from paragraph 1 of this Article, breed societies having established breeding books for purebred breeding animals of the equine species may, in accordance with the identification requirements laid down in point 1 of Part 3 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2016/1012, require the identification of the animals to be carried out as ‘foal at foot’ of the dam on which they depend.

3.By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2, a new single lifetime identification document may be issued at any time:

(a)on request of or by the competent authority, or as applicable the delegated body, where the existing single lifetime identification document does not comply with the requirements of Article 17 or where certain identification details set out in Section I, II or III of the model identification document for equine animals set out in Part 1 of Annex II have not been entered accurately by the issuing competent authority, or as applicable the delegated body; or

(b)where the single lifetime identification document issued prior to the date of application of this Regulation cannot be adapted to meet the requirements laid down in Article 17.

4.A new single lifetime identification document shall be issued in the extended format or the existing standard identification document shall be completed to an extended identification document by adding Sections IV to X of the model identification document for equine animals set out in Part 1 of Annex II to this Regulation in the case of an equine animal which is to be

(a)upgraded to a high-health equine animal in accordance with Article 92(2)(b) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688; or

(b)entered as a purebred breeding animal of the equine species in the main section or recorded as equine animal in a supplementary section of a breeding book established by a breed society which carries out a breeding programme approved in accordance with Article 8 or 12 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012; or

(c)registered as a registered horse as referred to in Article 2(5)(b) in accordance with the rules of the respective association or organisation managing horses for competition or races.

5.Before a new single lifetime identification document is issued in accordance with paragraphs 3 and 4 and delivered to the operator of the equine animal, the existing single lifetime identification document shall be seized by the competent authority, or as applicable by the delegated body, to be invalidated and the invalidation of the existing identification document and the issuing of the new single lifetime identification document shall be recorded in the computer database with a reference to the unique code originally assigned to the equine animal.

Defined terms · 25

Show every defined term

breed society
means a breed society as defined in point (5) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012;
breeding body
means a breeding body as defined in point (7) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012;
breeding book
means a breeding book as defined in point (12) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012;
competent authority
means the central veterinary authority of a Member State as defined in point (55) of Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2016/429;
computer database
means the computer database established by a Member State for the recording of information related to kept animals of the equine species as provided for in the introductory phrase and point (d) of Article 109(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429;
delegated body
means the delegated body defined in point (5) of Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, designated in accordance with Article 108(5)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 to ensure the practical application of the identification and registration system established for equine animals, including the issuing and delivery of single lifetime identification documents for equine animals.
equine animal
means a kept animal of species belonging to the genus Equus, including horses, asses and zebras, and the offspring of crossings of those species;
equine animals intended for slaughter
means equine animals to be transported, either directly or after undergoing an assembly operation, to a slaughterhouse;
establishment
means an establishment as defined in point (27) of Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2016/429;
high-health equine animal
means an equine animal eligible for movement to other Member States in accordance with Article 92(2) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688;
licence
means an entry in the single lifetime identification document, made for the participation in equestrian competitions at local, regional, national or international level by the national federation of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) or for the participation in races by the competent racing authority in accordance with and for the purpose referred to in Article 92(2)(b) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688;
main section
means the main section of a breeding book as defined in point (13) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012;
mark
means any distinguishing inherent or acquired individual characteristic of an equine animal, which is visible, or can be rendered visible, and can be recorded for identification purposes;
operator
means any natural or legal person having equine animals under his or her responsibility, including for a limited duration of time, but excluding veterinarians;
owner
means the natural or legal person(s) having the ownership of the equine animal;
registered equidae
means:
single lifetime identification document
means the single lifetime document whereby operators of equine animals are required to ensure that those animals are individually identified, as provided for in Article 114(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429;
smart card
means a plastic device with an embedded computer chip capable of storing data and transmitting them electronically to compatible computer systems;
transponder
means the electronic identifier defined in point (23) of Article 2 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035;
unique code
means the unique code defined in point (17) of Article 2 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035;
Universal Equine Life Number
(UELN) means a unique 15-digit alphanumeric code compiling information on the individual equine animal and the database and country where such information is first recorded in accordance with the coding system managed by the French horse and riding institute (IFCE) which hosts the UELN website;
validation mark
means an entry in the single lifetime identification document made by the competent authority in accordance with and for the purpose referred to in Article 92(2)(a) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/688;
veterinarian responsible
means the veterinarian referred to in Articles 112 and 113 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6 responsible for the medicinal treatment of an equine animal and the documentation of such treatment and its effect on the status of the equine animal as intended for or excluded from slaughter for human consumption in accordance with the present Regulation;
zootechnical authority
means the competent authority as defined in point (8) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012;
zootechnical certificate
means the zootechnical certificate defined in point (20) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 and set out in the Annex to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1940;