Animal health requirements: non commercial movement of pet animals

The Conciliation Committee reached agreement on the joint text of the directive. The compromise package can be summarised as follows: - any derogation to or possible extension of the special status of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Sweden should be decided under the codecision procedure with full participation of the European Parliament; - after a transitional period of 8 years, during which both tattoos and electronic identification systems (transponders) will be allowed, tattooing will be replaced by electronic identification; - any animal identification system must be accompanied by a system of recording details from which the animal's owner can be identified. This will also assist in combating trafficking in pet animals; - with regard to the implementing measures to be adopted by the Commission under the comitology procedure, it was agreed that the provisions should be restricted to measures of a technical nature only. Furthermore, any transitional provisions adopted by the Commission shall be strictly limited to permit the changeover from the current arrangements to the arrangements established by the new regulation.�