(1)

Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 lays down specific rules relating to, inter alia, the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom of consignments of certain retail goods for placing on the market in Northern Ireland for the final consumer, including specific rules for consignments of rest-of-the-world retail goods.

(2)

More specifically, Article 9(1), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 provides that rest-of-the-world retail goods consisting of commodities of animal or plant origin or composite products subject to the animal health or plant health rules referred to in Article 1(2), points (d), (e) and (g), of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) (‘the rest-of-the-world commodities’) may enter into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom and be placed on the market in Northern Ireland in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 only if the United Kingdom provides written evidence that the import conditions and official controls requirements provided for in Regulations (EC) No 1069/2009 (3), (EU) 2016/429 (4) and (EU) 2016/2031 (5) of the European Parliament and of the Council, in Regulation (EU) 2017/625, and in the Commission acts adopted pursuant to those Regulations apply to those commodities under the national law of the United Kingdom, and those import conditions and official controls requirements are effectively implemented by the United Kingdom (‘the written evidence’).

(3)

Article 9(4), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 provides that where the Commission has received the written evidence, it may adopt an implementing act listing the rest-of-the-world commodities that may enter into Northern Ireland as retail goods from other parts of the United Kingdom and be placed on the market in Northern Ireland.

(4)

By letters dated 4, 7 and 12 September 2023, the United Kingdom provides the written evidence that import conditions and official controls requirements provided for in Regulations (EC) No 1069/2009, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2017/625 and related to meat and edible offal of sheep originating in New Zealand and to pet food and dog chews originating in authorised third countries as listed in Chapter II, Section 1, Table 2, No 12 of Annex XIV to Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 (6) apply under its national law and these import conditions and official controls requirements related to these commodities are effectively implemented by the United Kingdom.

(5)

It is therefore appropriate to list the rest-of-the-world commodities, identified by their Combined Nomenclature codes, established by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 (7), and listed with their third country of origin, that may enter into Northern Ireland as retail goods from other parts of the United Kingdom, and be placed on the market in Northern Ireland.

(6)

In the interest of legal certainty and to avoid unnecessary trade disruptions, this Regulation should take effect as a matter of urgency.

(7)

The obligation to mark retail goods in accordance with Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 applies from 1 October 2023. This Regulation should therefore apply from 1 October 2023 to ensure consistency and legal certainty and avoid unnecessary trade disruptions.

(8)

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