My Lords, I shall speak also to the instrument grouped with these regulations—the Import of and Trade in Animals and Animal Products (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019—as I think it will be helpful to noble Lords, given the close connection between the two.
The Trade in Animals and Related Products (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 amend provisions related to imports, and transit through the EU, of: live animals, including horses; animal products, including meat; reproductive material used for animal breeding, such as semen, ova and embryos; and the non-commercial movement of pet animals.
This instrument importantly ensures operability of our main English animal trade instrument, the Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011. This is key legislation for the import of these commodities into England that establishes a system for trade in live animals and genetic material with other EU member states and imports of animals and animal products from outside the European Union.
This instrument also ensures the operability of two related instruments that regulate the non-commercial movement of pet animals into Great Britain and ensure protection against the introduction of rabies: the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011 and the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974. The Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011 enforces in Great Britain the EU pet travel scheme, which sets out rules for identification, vaccination and documentary requirements for pets entering member states from other member states or third countries, and the rabies order sets out
requirements for quarantine when a pet is not compliant with these rules, in order to protect our biosecurity and prevent the introduction of rabies.
I emphasise that this instrument makes purely technical changes to EU-derived domestic legislation about animal trade to ensure that it continues to operate effectively. It does not introduce new policy and preserves the current regime for protecting the UK’s biosecurity. This instrument applies only to imports and does not legislate for export of animals and animal products from the United Kingdom to the EU. The amendments in this instrument will allow all these laws to continue to work after exit, by, for instance, removing redundant references to EU bodies, functions or legislation and replacing them with domestic equivalents. It will also amend phrases that would no longer be correct, such as changing “legislation of the European Union” to “retained EU law”.
Different parts of this instrument have different territorial extent and application, and the devolved Administrations were closely engaged in its development. Part 2 applies to Great Britain, whereas Part 3 applies to England only. The devolved Administrations are tabling their own versions of the amendments in Part 3, which will generally reflect the approach taken in England.
Without this legislation, there would be considerable disruption to the UK’s import system and a lack of clarity for industry and non-commercial pet travel.
The Import of and Trade in Animals and Animal Products (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 again amend provisions related to imports, and transit through the EU, of: live animals; animal products, including meat; genetic material used for animal breeding, such as semen, ova and embryos; and the non-commercial movement of pet animals. The instrument makes purely technical changes to directly applicable EU regulations and decisions. It does not introduce new policy and preserves the current regime for protecting the UK’s biosecurity.
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This instrument makes technical amendments to ensure continued operability of: 14 EU instruments concerning imports of live animals and reproductive products; 17 concerning imports of animal products intended for human consumption; four that lay down protective measures against the introduction of particular diseases; four that cover the EU pet travel scheme; and seven that relate more generally to the import regime for animals and animal products. This instrument also contains similar technical amendments to references to powers to charge fees found in two domestic instruments.
The amendments ensure the continuation of veterinary controls and other import conditions which safeguard animal and public health. They allow for authorisation of businesses to continue, and for the maintenance of health certification and transport requirements, and allow appropriate actions to be taken in case of reported non-compliance or disease outbreaks in other countries. Furthermore, they provide for the continuation of the existing health and documentary requirements for the non-commercial movement of pets into the UK under the EU pet travel scheme.
In addition, the amendments transfer certain powers and functions from the European Commission to the respective Ministers in the UK. The amendments give Ministers the power, formerly reserved by the Commission, to take appropriate action in relation to trade restrictions resulting from disease outbreaks abroad. Regulation 3 and Schedule 1 lay the foundations for the appropriate Minister and the Northern Ireland Office to amend lists of third countries approved as having equivalent official disease controls for continuing trade with the UK in live animals and animal products, and thus to refuse trade or impose more stringent conditions on countries that pose a biosecurity risk.
Regarding the EU pet travel scheme, the amendments are required in order to ensure that safe pet travel without quarantine can continue into the UK. If these amendments were not made, EU pet passports for pet animals travelling from the EU would no longer be valid in the UK, which would clearly cause disruption. The UK’s ongoing application to become a listed third country for the purposes of pet travel between the UK and EU member states is also dependent on maintaining EU minimum health standards.
This instrument applies to the whole of the UK; the devolved Administrations were closely engaged in its development and have given their consent.
Defra has carried out extensive engagement with stakeholders on animal trade and pet travel more generally. Concerning importers of animals and animal products, the department has engaged with over 300 stakeholders to date, covering 50 events. All border inspection posts and all known impacted trade associations have been consulted. Defra will continue this engagement with importers over the coming weeks to ensure they understand the changes that will come into effect.
In relation to the equine sector, Defra has engaged with key stakeholders, including the British Horseracing Authority, World Horse Welfare, the British Equine Veterinary Association and Weatherbys, throughout work on EU exit. The equine sector is content with the proposed approach for imports.
In relation to pet travel, Defra has engaged with key stakeholders, including carrier and industry groups, the British Veterinary Association, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Kennel Club, Guide Dogs UK and Dogs for Good. The pet travel sector is also content with the proposed approach.
Additionally, on the subject of this legislation Defra has engaged with various major stakeholders—the Food and Drink Federation, the International Meat Trade Association and the NFU—who raised no concerns with Defra’s approach.
The trade in animals and animal products that do not constitute a risk to human or animal health is clearly of significant importance to the UK’s food security and economy. These technical amendments are essential for the continuation of the UK’s current trade and import regime and for minimum disruption to pet travel. They will also ensure that our strict biosecurity controls with regards to animal trade are maintained at their current levels when we leave. I beg to move.