
1 

(1) This Order may be cited as the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Electronic Route Plans Pilot Schemes) (England) Order 2000 and shall come into force on 3rd April 2000.
(2) This Order shall apply to England only.
2 

(1) In this Order–
 “the 1997 Order” means the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997;
 “electronic route plan” means a route plan submitted electronically in accordance with the provisions of this Order;
 “ERP pilot scheme” means a pilot scheme operated by or on behalf of the Minister in accordance with the provisions of this Order to test the operation of a system under which applications for route plans may be submitted electronically by transporters participating in the scheme;
 “person appointed by the Minister” means a person appointed by the Minister under article 4(2) of this Order to deal with electronic route plans;
 “route plan” means a route plan required for the purposes of article 13 of the 1997 Order; and
 “submitted electronically” means submitted to the person appointed by the Minister by means of the computer network system being tested in the ERP pilot scheme and related expressions shall be construed accordingly.
(2) Any word or phrase which is defined in the 1997 Order has the same meaning in this Order.
3 
Notwithstanding the provisions of articles 13(3) and 13(4) of the 1997 Order, a transporter participating in an ERP pilot scheme may submit route plans electronically, provided that this is done in accordance with the provisions of this Order.
4 

(1) The Minister may create an ERP pilot scheme.
(2) The Minister may appoint a person to deal with electronic route plans for the purposes of an ERP pilot scheme.
(3) The Minister may amend or terminate an ERP pilot scheme at any time.
(4) If the Minister creates an ERP pilot scheme, he shall publish notice of its commencement in such manner as he shall see fit.
(5) If the Minister amends or terminates an ERP pilot scheme, he shall–
(a) publish notice of the amendment or termination in such manner as he shall see fit; and
(b) give notice of the amendment or termination to all transporters participating in that scheme.
5 

(1) A transporter may participate in an ERP pilot scheme if granted permission to do so by the Minister in writing.
(2) When granting permission to a transporter under the preceding paragraph, the Minister–
(a) may do so–
(i) in respect of all route plans submitted by the transporter or in respect of specified route plans or categories of route plans submitted by the transporter; and
(ii) for the duration of the pilot scheme or for a specified period; and
(b) may specify requirements to be complied with by the transporter in relation to electronic route plans.
(3) The Minister may amend or revoke any permission granted under this article at any time by notice in writing.
(4) Any permission granted under an ERP pilot scheme shall automatically be revoked if the ERP pilot scheme is terminated by the Minister in accordance with article 4 of this Order.
6 

(1) Notwithstanding the requirements of article 13(4) of the 1997 Order, a transporter submitting a route plan electronically shall do so–
(a) in accordance with the requirements set out in his permission to participate in the ERP pilot scheme; and
(b) immediately after submitting his application for an export health certificate.
(2) Notwithstanding the requirements of article 13(5) of the 1997 Order, if the person appointed by the Minister is satisfied that the proposed journey described in the route plan is in compliance with the provisions of the 1997 Order and this Order, he shall–
(a) produce a paper version of the route plan which–
(i) is in a form approved by the Minister;
(ii) contains the same information as the route plan submitted electronically by the transporter; and
(iii) identifies the reference number of the export health certificate for the animals;
(b) stamp the paper version of the route plan; and
(c) return it to the transporter together with the signed health certificate.
(3) A route plan produced and stamped in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (2) shall be valid as a route plan for the purposes of article 13, in particular, article 13(6), of the 1997 Order.
(4) Where a transporter’s permission to participate in an ERP pilot scheme provides that he may return a series of electronic route plans submitted by him for a single journey as a single batch, it shall be sufficient for the purposes of articles 13(9) and 13(11) of the 1997 Order for the transporter to comply with the requirements set out in his permission.
(5) Notwithstanding article 13(14) of the 1997 Order, an electronic route plan shall be authenticated by the transporter or by a person nominated by the transporter to act on his behalf.
Elliot Morley
Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
7th March 2000