Deadline for identification of equidae born in the Union
Article 12
1. Equidae born in the Union shall be identified by an identification document issued in accordance with Article 9 not later than 12 months following the date of birth and in any event before leaving permanently the holding of birth except where such movement takes place in accordance with Article 23(2)(c) as foal at foot of the dam on which the foal depends or in accordance with Article 26(2). 2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, Member States may decide to limit the maximum permitted period for identifying the equine animal to 6 months or to the calendar year of birth. 3. By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2, a new identification document may be issued in accordance with Article 9 at any time: (a) on request of or by the competent authority, where the existing identification document does not comply with the requirements of Article 7(1),(2) and (3) or certain identification details set out in Section I, II or V have not been entered accurately by the issuing body; or (b) where an equine animal for breeding and production is upgraded to a registered equine animal in accordance with the rules of the issuing body referred to in Article 5(1)(a) and the existing identification document cannot be adapted accordingly; or (c) where a horse is upgraded to or registered as a registered horse referred to in point (e)(ii) of Article 2 in accordance with the rules of the issuing body referred to in Article 5(1)(b) and the existing identification document cannot be adapted accordingly; or (d) where an identification document is issued in accordance with Article 10(1) and cannot be adapted to the requirements of Article 9(1) in accordance with Article 10(2)(b); or (e) in the cases referred to in Article 18(4) and (5) and the existing identification document cannot be adapted accordingly; or (f) where the identification document is confiscated by the competent authority in the context of an investigation. In the cases described in the first subparagraph, the existing identification document shall be surrendered to the issuing body to be invalidated and the invalidation of the existing identification document and the issuing of the new identification document shall be recorded in the database established in accordance with Article 38.