The Official Controls (Extension of Transitional Periods) (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend, in regulation 7, the Official Controls (Extension of Transitional Periods) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/809), in relation to England and Wales, to change the end date for “the transitional staging period” (defined in Annex 6 to Regulation (EU) 2017/625 (EUR 2017/625)) from 28th February 2022 (and 31st December 2021 in certain cases) to 30th June 2022.

Regulation 2 amends Regulation (EU) 2017/625, in relation to England and Wales, to exclude products within the scope of Article 7 (goods which form part of passengers’ luggage and which are intended for personal consumption or use) or Article 10 (small consignments of products sent to natural persons which are not intended to be placed on the market) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2122 from requirements for imports of products of animal origin and certain plants, plant products and other objects to be subject to prior notification during the transitional staging period. Goods which are produced in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland and imported from the Republic of Ireland are also excluded. This also introduces prior notification requirements for types of animal by-product not already made subject to such an obligation, and the same exclusions are applied to these goods. A similar amendment is made in regulation 3 to corresponding provisions in the Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/1197) (“TARP Regulations”) in relation to products of animal origin and other types of animal by-products.

Regulation 3 amends the TARP Regulations to enable enforcement powers to remain available during the extended transitional staging period where they are exercised other than at border control posts in respect of animals and animal products in England.

Regulation 4 amends the Plant Health etc. (Fees) (England) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/289) to align the timing of the imposition of certain fees in England with the extended transitional staging period.

Regulation 5 amends the Plant Health (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1482) to update transitional provisions for certain plants, plant products and other objects with the extended transitional staging period.

Regulation 6 amends the Meat Preparations (Amendment and Transitory Modification) (England) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1666) to extend the temporary suspension of the requirement for meat preparations to be deep frozen where they are imported into England from EEA member States, the Faroe Islands, Greenland or Switzerland, bringing it into line with the extended transitional staging period.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.