Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules^f1, and in particular Article 31(2)(f) thereof,

Whereas:

Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 lays down general rules for the performance of official controls to verify compliance with Union rules on feed and food, animal health and animal welfare. It provides for Member States to maintain up-to-date lists of approved establishments, made available to other Member States and to the public.

In accordance with the requirements laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005^f2, the Commission is to provide a website, to which each Member State is to provide a link to its national website containing up-to-date lists of approved establishments, available to other Member States and to the public. The analysis of those lists for purposes such as impact assessment and for making links with other Commission information technology tools has proved to be very time-consuming and complex.

In order to simplify the possibility to analyse the listing for Member States establishments and to include without undue delay a Union approved establishment in those lists, it seems appropriate to allow the use of TRACES.

The requirements provided for in this Regulation involve an adaptation of current practices both for food business operators and competent authorities. It is therefore appropriate to allow a delayed application of this Regulation.

Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 should therefore be amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: