
Article 1 

1. This Regulation lays down rules establishing specific training requirements for the following staff as referred to in Article 49(2)(a) and (b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, performing physical checks at border control posts:
(a) staff assisting an official veterinarian in performing physical checks on animals, except aquatic animals, or on meat and edible meat offal;
(b) staff performing physical checks on aquatic animals, on products of animal origin other than the ones referred to in point (a), on germinal products or on animal by-products.
2. This Regulation shall not apply to official veterinarians and to official plant health officers.
Article 2 

1. The staff referred to in Article 1(1)(a) and (b) may assist the official veterinarian in the performance of physical checks or perform physical checks in accordance with Article 49(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 only where they have successfully completed a training programme that complies with the requirements of Article 3 of this Regulation (the training programme).
2. The competent authorities shall develop and arrange the training programme to ensure that the physical checks referred to in Article 1 are performed with the necessary level of technical competence and expertise. The training programme shall be both theoretical and practical.
3. The competent authorities shall keep records of the training programme on paper or in electronic form for each individual, including the dates, duration, programme description, and, where appropriate, certificates attesting the successful completion of the training programme by staff. The competent authorities in a Member State shall ensure that each border control post within that Member State has access to training records kept on paper or in electronic format.
Article 3 

1. The content of the training programme shall be determined according to the animals and goods for which the border control posts are designated and the tasks and responsibilities to which the staff are assigned.
2. The training programme shall cover the following subject matters:
(a) applicable Union legislation concerning the entry into the Union of animals and goods, including procedures and activities to be carried out during and after physical checks;
(b) general principles of examination of animals;
(c) examination of the fitness to travel of animals;
(d) practical aspects of handling of animals in line with Union legislation, including arrangements to prevent or reduce delays at border control posts and, where necessary, to feed, water, unload and accommodate the animals;
(e) sensorial examination of goods;
(f) examination of the means of transport and the transport conditions, including the management of temperature-sensitive goods (cold chain) and the transport of animals;
(g) identification of animal species, including, when appropriate, identification of invasive alien species as defined in point (2) of Article 3 of Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council introduced via animals and goods;
(h) control procedures, concerning:
((i)) the use of equipment;
((ii)) the implementation of monitoring plans;
((iii)) sampling procedures and laboratory analysis with regard to animals and animal and public health aspects;
(i) methods for the interpretation of laboratory test results and related decisions in accordance with the requirements of applicable Union legislation;
(j) risk assessment, including data gathering in relation to animal and public health in order to carry out appropriately targeted physical checks;
(k) prevention of cross-contamination and compliance with relevant biosecurity standards;
(l) labelling requirements for goods referred to in Article 47(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625;
(m) investigations and control techniques aimed at detecting fraudulent or deceptive practices in trade.
Article 4 
By way of derogation from Article 2(1), the staff referred to in Article 1(1)(a) and (b) may assist the official veterinarian in the performance of physical checks or perform physical checks in accordance with Article 49(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 where they have been trained in the framework of training activities or programmes for the exchange of staff organised pursuant to Article 130 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, provided that such activities or programmes cover the content and subject matters of the training programme referred to in Article 3(2) of this Regulation.
Article 5 
Decision 93/352/EEC is repealed.
Article 6 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 14 December 2019.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.Done at Brussels, 8 March 2019.
For the Commission
The President
Jean-Claude JUNCKER