Commission implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/466 of 30 March 2020 on temporary measures to contain risks to human, animal and plant health and animal welfare during certain serious disruptions of Member States’ control systems due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

This Regulation lays down temporary measures necessary to contain widespread risks to human, animal and plant health and animal welfare, in order to address serious disruptions in the functioning of Member States’ control systems in view of the crisis linked to COVID-19 (by having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products).
Member States that wish to apply the temporary measures laid down in this Regulation shall inform the Commission and the other Member States thereof, as well as of measures taken to remedy their difficulties in carrying out official controls and other official activities in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/625. In view of these specific circumstances, measures should be taken to avoid serious health risks for staff of the competent authorities without jeopardising the prevention of risks to human, animal and plant health arising from animals, plants and their products and without jeopardising the prevention of risks to animal welfare. At the same time, the proper functioning of the Single Market, based on Union agri-food chain legislation should be ensured.
Official controls and other official activities may exceptionally be performed by one or more natural persons specifically authorized by the competent authority on the basis of their qualifications, training and practical experience, who are in contact with the competent authority by any available means of communication, and who are required to follow the instructions of the competent authority for the performance of such official controls and other official activities. Such persons shall act impartially, and they shall be free from any conflict of interest as regards the official controls and other official activities performed by them.
Official controls and other official activities may exceptionally be performed in the case of analyses, testing or diagnoses to be performed by official laboratories, by any laboratory designated for this purpose by the competent authority on a temporary basis; or in the case of physical meetings with operators and their staff in the context of official control methods and techniques, as referred to in article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, via available means of distance communication.