. /. WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/NLD/61 
15 June 2004 
 (04-2596) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   THE NETHERLANDS 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:   Productschap Vee en Vlees.  Postbus 460 2700 AL Zoetermeer.  The 
Netherlands.  Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Live Equidae (CN 0101) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All 
countries.  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   Regulation issued by the 
Productschap Vee en Vlees on 22 October 2003 concerning rules on the identification and 
registration of equidae (Dutch abbreviation: PVV) 2004 
6. Description of content:  The prescription of an equine  passport is a European Community 
(EC) provision for all EC Member States.  This draft Regulation conforms to EC legislation (see paragraph 8) as well as the Dutc h Animal Health and Welfare Act (Bulletin 
of Acts and Decrees 1992, 585) and the Decree on the identification and registration of 
animals (Bulletin of Acts and Decrees 1997, 602). 
The notified text provides for a double inter-rela ted identification and registration system 
for equines, comprising the prescription of a passport in line with relevant Community 
provisions and the implantation of a trans ponder.  The identification and registration 
provisions prohibit the transport and delivery of equidae  that are not accompanied by 
passports and transponders.  The identificati on data are registered in a database.  
The Regulation also contains the veterinary requirements such as vaccination records and if 
the equidae  are intended for human consumption, record of administered veterinary 
medicines.  Only horses permanently imported ha ve to be identified with a transponder, 
within 6 months after entry into Dutch territory.  
Horses temporarily imported into The Netherlands for equid  events (contests, exhibitions 
etc.) or for transit, which stay for a peri od shorter than 6 months, do not have to be 
identified with a transponder. 
Equidae  that are provided with transponders in other Member States or in third countries 
shall, pursuant to this draft Regulation, be de emed to meet the regulations related to the 
application of transponders to equidae . 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [ X ] animal health, [   ] plant protection, 
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [   ]  protect territory from other 
damage from pests G/SPS/N/NLD/61 
Page 2  
 
 8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:  
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Council Directive 
90/426/EEC of 26 June 1990 on animal hea lth conditions governing the movement and 
import from third countries of equidae (Offi cial Journal L 224, 18/08/1990 pp.:  42-54). 
Council Directive 90/427/EEC of 26 June 1990  on the zootechnical and genealogical 
conditions governing intra-Community trad e in equidae (Official Journal L 224, 
18/08/1990 pp.:  55 – 59) 
Commission Decision 93/623/EEC of 20 October 1993 establishing the identification 
document (passport) accompanying registered equidae (Official Journal L 298, 03/12/1993 
pp.:  45 -055) 
Commission Decision 2000/68/EC of 22 December 1999 amending Commission Decision 
93/623/EEC and establishing the identification of equidae for breeding and production (Official Journal L23, 28/01/2000 pp.:  72 – 75).  
The Animal Health and Welfare Act (Bulle tin of Acts and Decrees 1992, 585) and the 
Decree on the identification and registration of  animals (Bulletin of Acts and Decrees 1997, 
602) 
10. Proposed date of adoption:   05 June 2004 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   The prescription of the passport has already entered into 
force on 1 January 2004. The prescription of th e transponder will probably enter into force by 
June 2004. 
12. Final date for comments:  01 July 2004 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:  
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notificati on authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: