
Article 1 
The Annex to this Decision sets out the guidelines and procedures for the electronic identification of animals:

((a)) for the second means of identification, as provided for in Article 4(2)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 and referred to in the fourth indent of point 4 of Section A of the Annex to that Regulation; and
((b)) provided for in the first subparagraph of Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 21/2004.
Article 2 
This Decision shall apply from the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Article 3 
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ANNEX
CHAPTER I 
For the purpose of these Guidelines, the following definitions shall apply:


((a)) ‘Country code’ means a 3-digit numeric code representing the name of a country in accordance with ISO standard 3166;
((b)) ‘National identification code’ means a 12-digit numeric code to identify an individual animal at national level;
((c)) ‘Transponder code’ means the 64-bit electronic code programmed in the transponder and containing inter alia the country code and national identification code and used for the electronic identification of animals;
((d)) ‘Identifier’ means a read-only passive transponder applying the HDX- or FDX-B technology as defined in ISO standards 11784 and 11785 and incorporated in different means of identification as referred to in Annex A of Regulation (EC) No 21/2004;
((e)) ‘Reader’ means a synchronising or non-synchronising transceiver which is, at least, capable of:

((i)) reading identifiers; and
((ii)) displaying the country code and the national identification code;
((f)) . . . . .
((g)) . . . . .

CHAPTER II  1. 

((a)) conformance with the ISO standards 11784 and 11785, in accordance with the test procedures specified in point 7 of the ISO standard 24631-1; and
((b)) achievement of minimum performance on reading distance as laid down in point 2, in accordance with the procedures specified in point 7 of the ISO standard 24631-3.
 2. 

((a)) transponders applying HDX- technology shall have a minimum activating magnetic field strength less than or equal to 1,2 A/m, as measured according to the ISO standard 24631-3, part 7.6.5 MINIMAL ACTIVATING MAGNETIC FIELD STRENGTH IN HDX MODE‘’ and shall develop a modulation amplitude equivalent to 10 mV as measured according to the ISO standard 24631-3, part 7.6.7 ‘Modulation amplitude in HDX mode’ at a magnetic field strength less than or equal to 1,2 A/m;
((b)) transponders applying FDX-B technology shall have a minimum activating magnetic field strength less than or equal to 1,2 A/m, as measured according to the ISO standard 24631-3, part 7.6.4 ‘Minimum activating magnetic field strength in FDX-B mode’ and shall develop a modulation amplitude equivalent to 10 mV as measured according to the ISO standard 24631-3, part 7.6.6 ‘Modulation amplitude in FDX-B mode’, at a magnetic field strength less than or equal to 1,2 A/m.
 3. 

Bit(s) No No of digits No of combinations Description
1 1 2 This bit indicates whether the identifier is used for animal identification or not. In all animal applications this bit shall be ‘1’
2-4 1 8 Retagging counter (0 to 7).
5-9 2 32 User Information field. This bit shall contain ‘04’ codifying the CN-code for sheep and goats in accordance with Chapter 1, Section I, Part II of the Annex to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87.
10-15 2 64 Empty — All zeros (reserved zone for future applications).
16 1 2 This bit indicates the presence or not of a data block (for the use in animals this bit shall be ‘0’ = no data block).
17-26 4 1 024 Country code as defined in point (a) of Chapter 1
27-64 12 274 877 906 944 National identification code as defined in point (b) of Chapter 1. If the national identification code is less than 12 digits, the space between the national identification code and the country code shall be completed with zeros.

 4. The competent authority may require additional tests for robustness and endurance of identifiers according to the procedures described in Part 2 of the Technical Guidelines of the Joint Research Centre of the Commission (JRC).
 5. The competent authority may require other performance criteria to ensure the functionality of identifiers under the specific geographic, climatic and management conditions of the  United Kingdom.
 6. Approvals granted by the competent authority until 30 June 2010 for identifiers which are tested in accordance with the methods for approval of identifiers applicable until that date shall continue to be valid.

CHAPTER III 
If needed in order to ensure the correct reading of identifiers under local geographic, climatic and/or management conditions, the competent authority may impose specific performance criteria on readers that are used in a specific holding or in a specific type of holding. The management conditions that justify such specific performance criteria are likely to prevail in holdings that handle a high throughput of animals marked with identifiers applying the HDX and FDX-B technology and/or holdings where synchronisation of readers is required according to point 7.7.3 of the ISO standard 24631-2.

CHAPTER IV 
The tests specified in points 1-4 of Chapter II shall be carried out in test laboratories that operate and are assessed and accredited for those tests in accordance with the standard EN ISO/IEC 17025 on ‘General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories’. Manufacturers for identifiers that apply for the tests may freely choose between accredited test laboratories.
