Voluntary Report - public distribution

**Date:** 3/07/2006

**GAIN Report Number:** E36039

E36039

**EU-25**

**Livestock and Products**

**Herdbook lists 2006**

**2006**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Norval Francis

U.S. Mission to the EU

**Prepared by:**

Tania De Belder

**Report Highlights:**

The European Commission implemented Council Directive 94/28/EC
concerning zootechnics. A list of third country herdbooks in compliance
with the criteria of EU zootechnics legislation is finally completed and
published. The Commission requires that Member States only authorize
importation of those genetic materials that are entered or registered in
the listed third country herdbook authorities.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Brussels USEU \[BE2\]

\[E3\]

**Third Country Listing**

Directive 94/28/EC states that breeding animals of the bovine, porcine,
ovine and caprine species, their semen, ova and embryos can only be
imported as purebred -- or hybrid in the case of porcine species - and
registered in a herdbook if third countries fulfill the requirements of
article 3. More specifically third countries need to:

1\. provide a list of herdbook organizations

2\. prove that the herdbook associations are supervised by an official
inspection service of the third country;

3\. demonstrate \"reciprocity\". This means basically that the third
country herdbook associations accept to undertake to enter or register
in their herdbooks the animals, semen, ova and embryos and the animals
resulting therefrom, originating from recognized European herdbooks.

Basically, this means that in order to be imported as 'purebred' or
'hybrid' the animals need to be registered in a herdbook kept by an
authority in the third country. Semen, ova and embryos can only be
imported if they come from an animal that is entered or registered in
such a herdbook or register. The original Directive did not include a
list of herdbooks. It only provided for the compilation of such lists in
the implementation phase.

# 

# Commission Decision 2006/139/EC

# The US has communicated such a list of authorities to the Commission. On Feb 7, 2006 [**Commission Decision 2006/139/EC**](http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/l_054/l_05420060224en00340043.pdf) was adopted listing the authorities in third countries. This decision includes the complete list of US authorities that was submitted to the European Commission. These authorities are approved for the keeping of a herdbook or register of certain animals. 

The approved US herdbooks are listed in the Annex of the Commission
Decision and they contain contact information of 62 herdbook authorities
divided over 4 species as follows:

\- 34 bovine herdbooks

\- 5 caprine herdbooks

\- 16 ovine herdbooks

\- 7 porcine herdbooks

###### **Overview of EU Zootechnics Legislation** 

A complete overview of the EU Zootechnics legislation is available from:

<http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/animal/zootechnics/legislation_en.htm>

**Visit our website:** our website
**[www.useu.be/agri/usda.html]{.underline}** provides a broad range of
useful information on EU import rules and food laws and allows easy
access to USEU reports, trade information and other practical
information. E-mail: AgUSEUBrussels@usda.gov

**Related reports from USEU Brussels:**

  ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------ ------------------
  **Report Number**                                            **Title**                            **Date Released**

  E24025                                                       Herdbook lists 2004                  2/10/04

  These reports can be accessed through our website                                                 
  [www.useu.be/agri](http://www.useu.be/agri) or through the                                        
  FAS website                                                                                       
  <http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/attacherep/default.asp>.                                        
  ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------ ------------------