Q: Petr Mach (EFDD, CZ) - Proposal for a regulation on animal health (2016-03-01)

According to the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on animal health, the Commission should be empowered to adopt implementing acts in relation to the regulation. Can the Commission confirm that it is considering making it compulsory to chip some animals through an implementing act? Has the Commission calculated the costs associated with implementing this regulation in all Member States?

A: Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the Commission (2016-04-27)

The regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on transmissible animal disease s (‘Animal Health Law’) empowers the Commission through a delegated act to introduce compulsory electronic identification by the ‘chipping’ of animals. The Commission's intention is to transpose compulsory marking of animals by use of electronic identifiers only for those animals and species for which such rules exist at present and to the level and extent envisaged by those rules. The Commission would consider introducing any new obligations to use electronic identifiers for the marking of animals only after a comprehensive cost‐ benefit analysis and an evaluation of the proportionality of such measures.