On 23 June 2026, the European Commission published a corrigendum to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/544, which amends the rules on animal health certificates for terrestrial animals and germinal products entering the European Union. The correction modifies a reference number in the clinical inspection requirement on page 143 of the original document, specifically in Chapter 24, Part III, point (b)(ii) of Annex II. The amendment clarifies that animals must be clinically inspected within 24 hours before dispatch to the EU to ensure they are free from indicative signs of diseases as per Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692.
The corrigendum addresses a technical error in the original Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/544, which was adopted on 25 March 2025 and published in the Official Journal on 22 April 2025. That regulation updated model animal health certificates and official certificates for various categories of terrestrial animals and their germinal products, aligning them with updated disease surveillance requirements. The original regulation had introduced new certificate templates and inspection protocols to harmonize import conditions across EU member states.
The correction has a narrow but important impact on stakeholders involved in the import of terrestrial animals and germinal products. EU importers and third-country exporters must ensure that their veterinary certificates reference the correct inspection requirement to avoid border rejections. National veterinary authorities in EU member states will need to update their inspection checklists to reflect the corrected reference. The change is procedural and does not alter the substantive health requirements, so the burden on businesses remains unchanged. The corrigendum ensures legal clarity and consistency in the application of animal health controls at EU borders.
The corrigendum is effective immediately upon publication. No further institutional follow-up is required, as the correction is a technical adjustment to an existing regulation. The European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) issued the corrigendum under reference C(2026)4558.