Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 provides for significant changes to the public health (food safety) rules and procedures to be complied with by food business operators. In particular, it lays down certain conditions for imports of food containing both products of plant origin and processed products of animal origin (composite products) into the Union.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/185 provides for transitional measures derogating from these rules for food business operators importing food containing both products of plant origin and processed products of animal origin (composite products), others than those referred to in Article 3(1) and (3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 28/2012, for which the public health conditions for importing into the Union have not yet been laid down at Union level. This derogation applies until 31 December 2020.

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council (‘Animal Health Law’) lays down rules for the prevention and control of animal diseases which are transmissible to animals or to humans. It applies to products of animal origin, and therefore to composite products as defined in Article 2(a) of Commission Decision 2007/275/EC. Once applicable, the Regulation will set out requirements for the entry into the Union of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin from third countries and territories. This Regulation shall apply from 21 April 2021.

In order to ensure legal clarity and consistency and to facilitate operators and competent authorities' transition to the new rules, it is necessary to have a single date of application for the new import conditions for composite products covered by Article 6(4) of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004. The end of these transitional measures should therefore be extended to 20 April 2021.

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