[:uk]The Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2622 of 30 July 2024 amends Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2023/1231. The primary focus of this amendment is the addition of Regulation (EU) 2023/2419, which pertains to the labelling of organic pet food, to the list of Union laws that are not to apply to certain consignments entering Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom.
**Key Provisions of the Regulation:**
1. **Amendment to Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231:**
– The regulation directly amends Annex I by adding a new entry. Specifically, it adds Regulation (EU) 2023/2419 to the list of provisions of Union law that are **not** to apply with respect to consignments of retail goods entering Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom.
– **Added Entry:**
*68.*
*Regulation (EU) 2023/2419 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 October 2023 on the labelling of organic pet food*
2. **Retroactive Application:**
– The regulation stipulates that it shall apply retroactively from **17 May 2024**. This means that the amendment is considered effective from that date, ensuring continuity and legal certainty for the affected parties.
3. **Entry into Force:**
– It enters into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This ensures that there is no undue delay between publication and the regulation becoming legally binding.
4. **Binding Nature:**
– The regulation is binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. This reinforces its immediate legal effect without the need for further national legislation.
**Contextual Details from the Recitals:**
– **Reference to the Windsor Framework:**
– Annex 2 to the Windsor Framework lists provisions of Union law applicable in the United Kingdom concerning Northern Ireland.
– Decision No 2/2024 of the Joint Committee added Regulation (EU) 2023/2419 to Annex 2 under the section “Feed – products and hygiene”.
– **Justification for the Amendment:**
– Considering the responsibility of the United Kingdom to protect public health and consumers in Northern Ireland regarding retail goods entering from other parts of the United Kingdom, it was deemed appropriate to add Regulation (EU) 2023/2419 to Annex I.
– This addition ensures that the specific rules pertaining to the labelling of organic pet food (as outlined in Regulation (EU) 2023/2419) do not apply to such consignments entering Northern Ireland.
– **Legal Certainty and Trade Considerations:**
– To maintain legal certainty and prevent unnecessary disruption to trade, the regulation underscores the necessity for the amendment to enter into force urgently and to apply retroactively.
**Adoption and Authentification:**
– The regulation was adopted by the European Commission on **30 July 2024**.
– It is signed by the President of the European Commission, **Ursula von der Leyen**, confirming its authenticity and the Commission’s authority in enacting the amendment.
**References within the Regulation:**
– **Regulation (EU) 2023/1231:**
– Originally established specific rules for the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom of certain consignments of retail goods, plants for planting, seed potatoes, machinery, and certain vehicles operated for agricultural or forestry purposes, as well as non-commercial movements of certain pet animals.
– **Regulation (EU) 2023/2419:**
– Pertains to the labelling of organic pet food, setting out standards and requirements for products marketed as organic within the European Union.
– **Decision No 2/2024 of the Joint Committee:**
– An act that added Regulation (EU) 2023/2419 to Annex 2 of the Windsor Framework, thereby making it applicable in Northern Ireland under certain conditions.
**Conclusion:**
The Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2622 effectively excludes Regulation (EU) 2023/2419 from applying to certain consignments of retail goods entering Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom. By amending Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231, it ensures that the specific labelling requirements for organic pet food do not create barriers or disruptions for such goods, aligning with the broader objectives of facilitating trade while maintaining regulatory standards within the unique context of Northern Ireland post-Brexit arrangements.[:]
