Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 September 2009 on trade in seal products^f1, and in particular Article 3(4) thereof,

Whereas:

Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009 allows, under specific conditions, for the placing on the market of seal products which result from hunts conducted by Inuit and other indigenous communities. It also allows for the placing on the market of seal products where the import of seal products is occasional in nature and where the imported products consist exclusively of goods for the personal use of travellers and their families.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 737/2010^f2 established detailed rules for the placing on the market of seal products pursuant to Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009.

Regulation (EU) 2015/1775 of the European Parliament and of the Council^f3 has amended Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009, and it has repealed Regulation (EU) No 737/2010 with effect from date of application of this Regulation. It is necessary, therefore, to lay down measures implementing Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009, as amended.

It is appropriate to provide that entities which comply with certain requirements should be included in a list of recognised bodies issuing documents attesting compliance with conditions for placing on the market of seal products.

Models should be set out for the attesting documents and their copies in order to facilitate the management and verification of attesting documents.

Procedures for the control of attesting documents should be set out. Those procedures should be as simple and as practical as possible without compromising the credibility and consistency of the control system.

The use of electronic systems should be allowed in order to facilitate the exchange of data between competent authorities, the Commission and the recognised bodies.

The processing of personal data for the purposes of this Regulation, in particular as regards the processing of personal data contained in attesting documents, should comply with Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council^f4 and Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council^f5.

Since this Regulation lays down detailed rules for the implementation of Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2015/1775, which applies as of 18 October 2015, it should enter into force as a matter of urgency.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established pursuant to Article 18(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97^f6,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: