1. Information session on the New Animal Breeding Regulation (ABR)
20 February 2018
Nicola Hobson
Agriculture Inspector
Livestock Breeding, Production and Trade Division

2. Zootechnical: a Definition
Zootechny is the scientific art of maintaining and improving animals under domestication, including breeding, genetics, nutrition and housing.

3. Agenda Overview of Animal Breeding legislation What happens next?
Context
Regulation 2016/1012
Zootechnical Certificates
Commission Implementing Regulation 2017/717
What happens next?
Questions and Answers

4. CONTEXT OF CURRENT LEGISLATION
The aims of Union zootechnical legislation is for the promotion of free trade in breeding animals and their genetic material considering the sustainability of breeding programs and preservation of genetic resources
Existing legislation for the bovine, equine, ovine and caprine, porcines and other breeding animals consists of Council Directives and Commission Decisions (approx 33 pieces of legislation)
Considerable amount of overlap between different pieces of legislation

5. Animal Breeding Regulation
What is it?
provides a single legal framework for the rules applicable to the breeding, trade and entry into the Union of breeding animals of the bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine and equine species and their germinal products
Known as “Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 Animal Breeding Regulation”
Consists of 13 Chapters, 69 Articles, 7 Annexes in 143 pages
Opportunity for harmonisation between Member States

6. Purpose of the Regulation?
to consolidate existing rules for the promotion of free trade in breeding animals and their germinal products, and to update those rules to technical advances and established practices while protecting genetic diversity
to promote cross-border activities of breed societies providing their services under fair competition conditions
to simplify the legislative framework in a single Regulation
to establish rules on official controls and activities

7. The Process –
First working group meeting of Member States representatives was held in March 2014 and continued to October 2015
Draft legislation was examined article by article, amended and re-examined at working group meetings
Throughout process draft versions were circulated to stakeholders for observations
Final version voted by EU Parliament and EU Council
Was published in the EU Official Journal on 29 June 2016
Came in to force on 19 July 2016 which gives it legal basis
Applies from 1 November 2018
Number of information meetings hosted by Commission

8. CHAPTER I (Articles1-3) General Provisions
Definitions (26)
‘breed’ means a population of animals sufficiently uniform to be considered to be distinct from other animals of the same species by one or more groups of breeders which have agreed to enter those animals in breeding books with details of their known ascendants for the purpose of reproducing their inherited characteristics by way of reproduction, exchange and selection within the framework of a breeding programme;
‘breeding animal’ means a purebred breeding animal or a hybrid breeding pig
‘purebred breeding animal’ means an animal which is entered or registered and eligible for entry in the main section of a breeding book;
‘germinal products’ means semen, oocytes and embryos collected or produced from breeding animals for the purpose of assisted reproduction

9. ‘hybrid breeding pig’ means an animal of the porcine species registered in a breeding register, which is produced by deliberate cross-breeding or used for deliberate cross-breeding between:
purebred breeding pigs of different breeds or lines;
breeding pigs which are themselves the outcome of a cross (hybrid) between different breeds or lines;
breeding pigs belonging to one or the other of the categories referred to in (a) or (b);
‘line’ means a genetically stable and uniform subpopulation of purebred breeding animals of a particular breed;
‘private undertaking operating in a closed production system’ means a private undertaking with a breeding programme in which participate either no breeders or a restricted number of breeders who are bound to that private undertaking to accept from it the supply of hybrid breeding pigs or to supply hybrid breeding pigs to it;

10. ‘breed society’ (BS) means any breeders' association, breeding organisation or public body, other than competent authorities, which is recognised by the CA of a MS… for the purpose of carrying out a breeding programme on purebred breeding animals entered in the breeding book(s) it maintains or establishes;
‘breeding operation’ (BO) means any breeders' association, breeding organisation, private undertaking operating in a closed production system or public body, other than CA, which is recognised by the competent authority of a MS… for the purpose of carrying out a breeding programme on hybrid breeding pigs registered in the breeding register(s) it maintains or establishes;
‘breeding body’ means any breeders' association, breeding organisation, private undertaking, stock-rearing organisation or official service in a third country which, in respect of purebred breeding animals of the bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine or equine species or of hybrid breeding pigs, has been accepted by that third country in connection with the entry into the Union of breeding animals for breeding;

11. ‘competent authority’ (CA) means the authorities of a MS which are responsible, …(a) the recognition … and the approval…; (b) official controls…; (c) the provision of assistance…; (d) official activities …;
‘breeding book’ means:
(a) any herd-book, flock-book, stud-book, file or data medium which is maintained by a breed society consisting of a main section and, where the breed society so decides, of one or more supplementary sections for animals of the same species that are not eligible for entry in the main section;
(b) where appropriate, any corresponding book maintained by a breeding body;
‘breeding register’ means:
(a) any file or data medium which is maintained by a breeding operation in which hybrid breeding pigs are registered with details of their ascendants;
(b) where appropriate, any corresponding register maintained by a breeding body;

12. ‘breeding programme’ means a set of systematic actions, including recording, selection, breeding and exchange of breeding animals and their germinal products, designed and implemented to preserve or enhance desired phenotypic and/or genotypic characteristics in the target breeding population.
‘main section’ means the section of a breeding book in which purebred breeding animals are entered or registered and eligible for entry with details of their ascendants and, where applicable, their merits;
‘zootechnical certificate’ means breeding certificates, attestations or commercial documentation which are issued on paper or in electronic form for breeding animals and their germinal products and which provide information on pedigree, identification and, where available, results of performance testing or genetic evaluation;
‘trade’ means the action of buying, selling, exchanging or otherwise acquiring or releasing animals or their germinal products within the Union, including within a Member State;

13. Provides legal basis for
Trade in breeding animals and their germinal products within EU and entry into the Union*
Rules for recognition of BS and BO and approvals of their breeding programmes
Rights of obligations of breeders, BS and BO*
Rules for entry of breeding animals
Rules of performance and genetic evaluation of breeding animals
Rules for the issuing of zootechnical certificates
Rules for performance of official controls*
Rules for assistance and cooperation between MSs*
Rules for the performance of controls by the Commission in MSs and third countries*
*new

14. Regulation applies to
breeding animals and their germinal products where those animals or the offspring resulting from those germinal products are intended to be entered as purebred breeding animals in a breeding book or registered as hybrid breeding pigs in a breeding register
Exceptions (technical/scientific experiments, BO in closed production systems)

15. CHAPTER II (Articles 4-12) Recognition and approval
Two stage process
1) recognition of BS/BO
2) approval of breeding programmes
Application process for each stage (paper or electronic)
Can be simultaneous applications

16. Recognition Process of BS/BO
Head office where CA located
Requirements listed in Annex 1Part 1(BS/BO)
legal personality
adequate resources
procedures in place for recording pedigree
sufficient population of breeding animals
capable of generating and using data necessary for carrying out breeding programme

17. Refusal /appeal process MSs to publically list recognised BS/BO
BS shall also
Sufficient number of breeders participating in breeding programme
Rules of procedures including appeal, non-discrimination and rights and obligations
Minimum draft breeding programme which includes details outlined in Annex 1 Part 2
Refusal /appeal process
MSs to publically list recognised BS/BO

18. Approval of Breeding Programmes
Breeding programme evaluated on
the aims
the selection and breeding objectives
requirements listed in Annex 1 Part 2
Provision to outsource to third parties
Significant changes require approval
Provision for CA to refuse

19. Annex 1 Part 2 – main points
Information on its aim
Name of breed
Detailed characteristics including indication of it essential traits
Information on the geographical territory covered
System of identification
System for recording pedigrees
Selection and breeding objectives
Systems of performance testing and genetic testing where required
Division of the breeding book
Details where outsourcing of technical activities
Zootechnical certificate – derogation

20. Extension of Geographical Activity
Where a BS/BO intend to carry out their breeding programme on breeding animals in another MS
DAFM must notify the CA of other MS
May have to provide a translation of the breeding programme in language of the other MS
Timelines
Provide up-to-date information on request
Provision to refuse/withdraw approval

21. CHAPTER III (Articles 13 - 14) Rights and Obligations
Breeders shall have rights
to participate in the breeding programme if their animals are located in the geographical territory and covered by the breeding programme
to have their animals entered/recorded/registered in the appropriate section
to participate in performance testing and genetic evaluation and obtain up-to-date results where available

22. to be provided with a zootechnical certificate
avail of the services as outlined in the breeding programme
where members, right to participate in defining and developing the breeding programme

23. BS/BO shall have the rights
to exclude breeders that fail to comply with the rules of the breeding programme
to exclude breeders where members do not comply with obligations set out in the rules of procedure
BS/BO have an obligation to settle disputes between breeders and between breeders and the BS/BO

24. CHAPTER IV (Articles 15 - 24) Entry of breeding animals and acceptance of breeding
Structure of breeding book – (Annex II)
No change from current legislation
Main section: parents and grandparents entered, pedigree established, identified according to union animal health law and rules of breeding programme, zootechnical certificate where traded or entered into Union
Supplementary section: identified according to union animal health law and rules of breeding programme, judged to conform to breed characteristics, meet minimum performance requirements for traits tested

25. Upgrading of progeny:
females only
father and two grandfathers entered in main section of same breed, mother and maternal grandmother recorded in supplementary section of same breed
first generation offspring from this female and purebred male shall be regarded as purebred i.e. eligible to be entered in main section
Hybrid Breeding Pigs: parents and grandparents entered in breeding books or registered in breeding register, identified according to union animal health law and rules of breeding programme

26. List of conditions for acceptance e.g.
Derogations regards entry in relation to creation of a new breed, reconstruction of a breed for endangered breeds
List of conditions for acceptance e.g.
For AI, a breed society shall accept semen collected from purebred breeding animals which have undergone genetic evaluation (Exception test sires);
As above for embryos and oocytes
For intra-Union trade germinal products must be from approved collection/storage centres or approved collection/production teams
DNA analysis required of purebred breeding animals where semen (except porcines) and oocytes and embryos are collected
Specific requirements for registration of hybrid pigs (Articles 23 and 24)

27. CHAPTER V (Articles 25 - 28) Performance testing and genetic evaluation
Performance testing or genetic evaluation carried out according to the rules set out in Annex III (e.g. rules and standards established by Interbull/principles agreed by ICAR)
Details to be included in breeding programme
Breed societies have option to outsource performance testing or genetic evaluation to designated third parties

28. MS must authorise and designate the third party and MS shall oversee their compliance
BS/BO to make publicly available who is carrying out the performance testing or genetic evaluation
Require that the results of the genetic evaluation of breeding animals whose semen is used for AI are publicly available and keep up-to-date

29. CHAPTER VI (Article 29) EU reference centre
Designation of European Union reference centre
Public call took place regarding the bovine species
Commission Implementing Regulation 2017/1422 designated Interbull Centre

30. CHAPTER VII (Article 30 - 33) Zootechnical Certificates
Concern the issuing, content and format of zootechnical certificates
Relates to
Commission Delegated Regulation 2017/1940 (equine only)
Commission Implementing Regulation 2017/717
(other species including all germinal products)
Return to it at end!

31. CHAPTER VIII (Article 34 - 37) Entry into the Union
Commission shall maintain, update and publish a list of breeding bodies
Breeding animal entitled to enter where
Entered in breeding book of third country which is listed by EU
Germinal products meet the conditions of the breeding programme where specified
Meet the characteristics of the breed

32. CHAPTER IX (Article 38) CA carrying out a breeding programme
Outlines where a CA can carry out a breeding programme

33. CHAPTER X (Article 39 - 52) Official Controls
Up to date list of designated competent authorities (CA) maintained by Commission
Section on official controls to be performed by CA
Written records to be maintained
Access and assistance by operators

34. Provides for actions where non-compliance is established
Right to appeal
Cooperation and administrative assistance between MSs
Non-compliance by third countries
Involvement by Commission

35. CHAPTER XI (Article 53 - 60) Commission Controls
Provisions for Commission to undertake controls in
MSs and
third countries

36. CHAPTER XII (Article 61 - 63) Delegation and implementation
Confers powers on the Commission to adopt delegated acts and implementing acts
Lists the Articles which refers to these requirements
Requires Commission to consult with MS’s experts for delegated acts

37. CHAPTER XIII (Article 64 - 69) Final provisions
Lists Directives to be repealed
Organisations and breeding programmes approved under existing Directives shall be considered to be recognised under this Regulation
However, subject to rules of this Regulation
Notification of geographical extension
Requirement of MS to provide national laws
Regulation applicable from 1 NOVEMBER 2018

38. Zootechnical Certificates
Zootechnical Certificates Chapter VII (Article )
Commission Implementing Regulation 2017/717 (other species and germinal products for all species)

39. CHAPTER VII (Article 30 - 33)
Zootechnical certificates to be issued in a timely manner
on request by breeders for their breeding animals/hybrid breeding pigs or
where the breeding animal/germinal products are traded
Not applicable to supplementary section animals
Breeding animals/hybrid breeding pigs/germinal products entering EU must be accompanied by a zootechnical certificate

40. Format and Layout Derogations
Annex V sets out the information to be included
Commission Implementing Regulation 2017/717 lays down the model form of the zootechnical certificate to be used
Inclusion of results (in accordance with breeding programme) of performance testing/genetic evaluations/genetic defects and genetic peculiarities
Derogations
the CA may authorise that for germinal products the zootechnical certificate can be issued by an approved semen collection or storage centre, or by an embryo collection or production team, on the basis of the information received from the BS/BO
the CA may authorise the non-use of the model form where information in other documents
reference to website where results can be accessed

41. Commission Implementing Regulation 2017/717
Contains three annexes
For purebred breeding animals (excl equines) and their germinal products
For hybrid breeding pigs and their germinal products
For all above to accompany consignments on entry into the Union
Each annex split into sections

42. Draft Zootechnical Certificates
Based on the model format provided
Dairy
Other options
Beef
Semen model format

43. Model Format - Dairy

46. Landscape - Dairy

48. Landscape Beef

50. Commission Implementing Regulation 2017/717 Annex I Section B (page15) Semen

53. Clarifications submitted to the Commission
Portrait vs landscape?
Moving of boxes?
Inclusion of headings and numbers?
Inclusion of numbering system for each point with corresponding heading printed on reverse i.e. like a footnote?
Combining of headings e.g. 2&3 ‘name of breeding book’ and ‘name of breed of purebred animal’?
Point 14 on ‘Insemination/mating’ included on a different document e.g. AI docket??
Derogation for non-use of model forms – how is this to be interpreted?

54. What next? Breed Societies/Breed Operations
Review structures in relation to requirements for recognition (Annex 1 Part 1)
Review breeding programmes and amend accordingly
Where any activities outsourced establish a service level agreement
Develop format and layout of zootechnical certificates according to model formats
Consider extent of geographical activity
Send in any queries/clarifications now

55. Everything to be in place by
Department
Have commenced developing national legislation to transpose CR 2016/1012
Clarifications on the impact of Brexit
Amending list of recognised BS/BO according to Commission Implementing Regulation 2017/716
Designation of third parties for performance testing and genetic evaluation (bovines and ovines) (Chapter V)
Determining geographical activity for BS/BO
Review zootechnical certificates in advance
Updating our internal control procedures
Next working group meeting in Brussels 8 March
Everything to be in place by
1 November 2018
255 days to go

56. Any questions?? Thank you!
If not
Any questions??
Thank you!