
Article 1 
Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 is hereby amended as follows:

1.. the first subparagraph of Article 9(3) shall be replaced by the following:
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3. As from 31 December 2009, electronic identification according to the guidelines referred to in paragraph 1, and in accordance with the relevant provisions of Section A of the Annex, shall be obligatory for all animals.';
2.. Article 9(4) shall be replaced by the following:
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4. Before 31 December 2009, Member States may introduce the obligatory use of electronic identification for animals born on their territory.'
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.Done at Brussels, 17 December 2007.
For the Council
The President
J. SILVA