On 15 July 2026, the European Commission published a corrigendum to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/399, correcting the wording of notes in 40 model certificates for the entry into the Union of certain products of animal origin and categories of animals. The change replaces the phrase "Applicable to consignments entering the Union as from 3 September 2026" with "Applicable to consignments both certified and entering the Union as from 3 September 2026" across all affected models, including those for bovine, ovine, porcine, equine, poultry, and processed products. The corrigendum ensures that the 3 September 2026 applicability date applies to both the certification and the entry of consignments, not just entry.
The corrigendum amends Annex III to Regulation (EU) 2020/2235 and Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2021/403, which set out model certificates for imports of animal products. The original regulation, adopted on 29 January 2024, had introduced updated certificate templates but contained ambiguous wording regarding the start date for their use. The corrigendum, issued by the Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), clarifies that certificates issued from 3 September 2026 must use the corrected wording, aligning certification and entry requirements.
For operators and national authorities, the change removes potential confusion over whether certificates issued before 3 September 2026 could be used for consignments entering after that date. The corrigendum ensures that only certificates bearing the corrected note and issued on or after 3 September 2026 are valid for imports from that date onward. This affects a wide range of stakeholders, including EU importers of live animals and animal products, veterinary authorities in member states, and third-country exporters who must ensure their certification processes comply with the new wording. The impact is moderate but targeted: it eliminates a legal ambiguity that could have caused border rejections or delays for consignments certified shortly before the deadline.
The corrigendum enters into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal, with the corrected notes applying to consignments certified and entering the Union as from 3 September 2026. No further institutional follow-up is required, as the corrigendum is a technical correction to existing legislation.