Key data
| Regulation | Rectification of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/544 of 25 March 2025 |
|---|---|
| Modified regulation | Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 |
| Publication | 11 May 2026 |
| Entry into force | Not specified |
| Affected parties | Importers of terrestrial animals and animal genetic material in the EU from third countries |
| Category | Agriculture and Fisheries — Animal Health — Foreign Trade |
| Official reference | OJ:L_202690365 / EUR-Lex |
Importers of terrestrial animals and animal reproductive material from third countries have an immediate obligation: to verify that the animal health certificates accompanying their shipments correspond to the corrected models published on 11 May 2026. Non-compliance does not generate a direct fine, but something equally costly: rejection of the shipment at the border.
This rectification corrects errors detected in the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/544, published on 22 April 2025, which in turn amended the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403. Animal health certificates are mandatory documents that must accompany each shipment at EU border control posts. Without the correct model, there is no entry.
What does this regulation establish?
The rectification published in the EU Official Journal corrects errors contained in the models of animal health certificates and animal health/official certificates established by Regulation (EU) 2025/544. These models are the documents that must be issued by the veterinary authorities of the exporting country and that physically accompany each shipment to the EU border control post.
The types of errors typically corrected in this type of rectification include:
- Errors in certificate form fields or boxes
- Inaccuracies in translations to the official EU languages
- Specific requirements poorly drafted or incomplete in the models
The base regulation that governs the complete framework is the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403, which establishes the models of animal health certificate for the entry into the EU of different categories of terrestrial animals and their germinal products. Regulation (EU) 2025/544 updated those models in April 2025, and this May 2026 rectification corrects the errors detected in that update.
| Document | Date | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/403 | Base | General framework of animal health certificate models for import to the EU |
| Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/544 | 22 April 2025 | Amends the certificate models of Regulation 2021/403 |
| Published rectification (OJ:L_202690365) | 11 May 2026 | Corrects errors in the models established by Regulation 2025/544 |
Economic and operational impact
The economic impact of this rectification is not measured in fees or direct amounts: it is measured in the risk of border rejection. A shipment rejected at an EU border control post involves real and direct costs:
- Retention costs: storage, refrigeration or maintenance of live animals in border facilities while the incident is resolved.
- Reshipment or destruction costs: if the shipment cannot be regularized, it may be returned to the country of origin or destroyed, depending on applicable regulations.
- Loss of shipment value: in the case of live animals or genetic material with high sensitivity to time and transport conditions, rejection may result in total loss of the batch.
- Administrative and management costs: coordination with veterinary authorities in the exporting country to obtain a corrected certificate.
The risk is especially relevant for operators working with certificates prepared in advance or using templates stored in their document management systems. If those templates have not been updated with the corrected models, each shipment represents a risk of rejection.
Who does it affect?
- Importers of terrestrial animals from third countries to the EU (cattle, pigs, equines, poultry, etc.).
- Importers of animal germinal products: semen, ova and embryos of terrestrial animals from countries outside the EU.
- Operators of animal genetic material collection and storage centers that export to the EU.
- Customs agents and freight forwarders who manage documentation for shipments of animals and reproductive material.
- Official veterinarians in exporting countries responsible for issuing animal health certificates.
- Compliance officers in companies in the livestock, zootechnical and animal reproduction sectors with import operations.
Practical example
A Spanish company importing bovine genetic material (frozen semen) from Brazil has three shipments scheduled for June 2026. Its supplier in Brazil uses an animal health certificate template saved in its system from April 2025, when Regulation (EU) 2025/544 was published.
If that template has not been updated with the corrected models published on 11 May 2026, the three shipments will arrive at the EU border control post with a certificate containing the errors that this rectification precisely corrects. Veterinary authorities at the border may detect the discrepancy and reject the shipments.
The practical result: high-value genetic material retained at the border, cold storage costs, need to urgently coordinate with the Brazilian supplier to obtain new certificates issued with the correct model, and possible loss of material if storage conditions cannot be maintained during the wait.
The solution is simple but urgent: communicate to suppliers in third countries that they must exclusively use the certificate models published in the rectification of 11 May 2026.
What should companies do now?
- Download the updated certificate models from the official text of the rectification published in EUR-Lex (OJ:L_202690365) and verify which fields or sections have been corrected compared to the previous version of Regulation (EU) 2025/544.
- Communicate to suppliers and veterinary authorities in the countries of origin that they must exclusively use the corrected models for all shipments destined for the EU from the publication date (11 May 2026) onwards.
- Review and update internal templates for document management, ERP systems or import management tools that contain previous certificate models.
- Verify shipments in transit or pending dispatch to check whether the already-issued certificates correspond to the corrected model or whether new documents need to be requested before they reach the border.
- Coordinate with the customs agent or freight forwarder so they are informed of the change and can detect possible discrepancies in the documentation before presentation at the border control post.
Frequently asked questions
What errors does the rectification of Regulation 2025/544 correct?
The rectification corrects errors detected in the animal health certificate and official certificate models published in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/544 of 25 March 2025. The corrected errors may refer to fields, translations or specific requirements of the models. The exact number of affected fields is not specified in the published text.
What happens if I present the old certificate at the EU border?
Veterinary authorities at EU border control posts may detect the discrepancy between the certificate model presented and the corrected model published in the rectification. In this case, the shipment may be rejected and retained pending issuance of a new certificate with the correct model.
Is there a transition period to use old certificates?
The rectification does not specify a transition period. The safest approach is to assume that from the publication date (11 May 2026), only the corrected models should be used for new shipments.
Who is responsible for updating the certificate models?
The veterinary authorities in the exporting country are responsible for issuing certificates according to the correct models. However, importers must ensure that their suppliers and the veterinary authorities they work with are aware of the updated models and use them for all new shipments.
Where can I find the corrected certificate models?
The corrected models are published in the official text of the rectification in the EU Official Journal (OJ:L_202690365) and are available on EUR-Lex, the official EU law database.
Official source
Rectification of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/544 of 25 March 2025 correcting animal health certificates and official certificates for the entry into the Union of terrestrial animals and animal germinal products from third countries
Published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 11 May 2026 (OJ:L_202690365)
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information contained herein is based on the official text of the regulation and is accurate as of the publication date. Regulations may be subject to changes, amendments or additional clarifications. For specific legal advice on how this regulation affects your business operations, consult with a specialized legal advisor or your veterinary authorities. The author and publisher assume no liability for the use or misuse of this information.