1.  These Regulations—

(a) may be cited as the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) (England) (Imports of Captive Birds) Regulations 2007;

(b) apply in relation to England only; and

(c) come into force on 31st March 2007.

2.  In regulation 16(4) of the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) (England) Regulations 2006(3), for “1st April 2007” substitute “1st July 2007”.

3.  The following are revoked—

(a) regulation 2(3) of the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2006(4);

(b) the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2007(5).

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) (England) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1471) (“the principal Regulations”).

Regulation 2 amends regulation 16(4) of the principal Regulations so as to give effect to the extension until 1st July 2007 of the current European Union ban on the import of captive birds from outside the European Union. The ban is provided for in Community legislation under Commission Decision 2005/760/EC concerning certain protection measures in relation to highly pathogenic avian influenza in certain third countries for the import of captive birds (OJ No. L285, 28.10.2005, p. 52), as amended, in particular by Commission Decision 2005/862/EC, and by Commission Decision 2007/183/EC (OJ No. L84, 24.03.2007, p.44), which gives effect to the further extension of the ban.

Regulation 3 revokes earlier amendments to the principal Regulations which gave effect to previous extensions of the import ban.

No regulatory impact assessment has been produced for these Regulations in view of the urgency required to give effect to the extension of the ban on the import of captive birds.