13.6.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 146/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) REGULATION (EC) No 998/2003 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 26 May 2003 on the animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals and amending Council Directive 92/65/EEC THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 37 and Article 152(4)(b) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (!), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Following consultation of the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (°), in the light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 18 February 2003. Whereas: (1)  Harmonisation of animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals between Member States and from third countries is necessary and only measures adopted at Community level can enable that objective to be achieved. (2)  This Regulation concerns the movement of live animals covered by Annex I to the Treaty. Some of its provi- sions, in particular concerning rabies, have as their direct objective the protection of public health, while others concern solely animal health. Article 37 and Article 152(4)(b) of the Treaty are therefore the appropriate legal basis. (3)  Over the past 10 years the rabies situation has improved spectacularly throughout the Community following the implementation of programmes for the oral vaccination () OJ C 29 E, 30.1.2001, p. 239 and OJ C 270 E, 25.9.2001, p. 109. () O] C 116, 20.4.2001, p. 54. () European Parliament opinion of 3 May 2001 (O] C 27 E, 31.1.2002, p. 55), Council Common Position of 27 June 2002 (O] C 275 E, 12.11.2002, p. 42) and European Parliament Decision of 22 October 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal). European Parliament Decision of 10 April 2003 and Council Deci- sion of 25 April 2003. of foxes in regions affected by the sylvatic-rabies epidemic that has swept through north-eastern Europe since the 1960s. (4)  This improvement has led the United Kingdom and Sweden to abandon the system of six months' quarantine which they applied for decades, in favour of an alterna- tive, less restrictive system providing an equivalent level of safety. Provision should therefore be made at Commu- nity level for the application of a special system for the movement of pet animals to those Member States for a transitional period of five years and for the Commission, in the light of the experience gained and a scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority, to present a report in due course with appropriate propo- sals. Provision should also be made for a rapid procedure to decide on a temporary extension of the above transi- tional regime, particularly if the scientific assessment of the experience gained were to make necessary longer time periods than those currently laid down. (5)  Cases of rabies observed in pet carnivores in the Community now mainly affect animals originating in third countries where an urban type of rabies is endemic. The animal health requirements generally applicable hitherto by the Member States to pet carnivores intro- duced from such third countries should accordingly be made more stringent. (6)  However, derogations should be considered for move- ment from third countries belonging, from the animal health standpoint, to the same geographical region as the Community. (7)  Article 299(6)(c) of the Treaty and Council Regulation (EEC) No 706/73 of 12 March 1973 concerning the Community arrangements applicable to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man for trade in agricultural products (*), provide that Community veterinary legisla- tion applies to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, which, for the purposes of this Regulation, are therefore to be considered as part of the United Kingdom. () O] L 68, 15.3.1973, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1174/86 (O] L 107, 24.4.1986, p. 1).