DECISIONS  
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION  
of 17 July 2012  
amending Annexes I to IV to Decision 2006/168/EC as regards certain veterinary certification 
requirements for imports into the Union of bovine embryos  
(notified under document C(2012) 4816)  
(Text with EEA relevance)  
(2012/414/EU)  
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,  
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European 
Union,  
Having regard to Council Directive 89/556/EEC of 25 September 
1989 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community 
trade in and importation from third countries of embryos of 
domestic animals of the bovine species (  1 ), and in particular 
Article 7(1) and point (b) of the first subparagraph of 
Article 9(1) thereof,  
Whereas:  
(1) Commission Decision 2006/168/EC of 4 January 2006 
establishing the animal health and veterinary certification 
requirements for imports into the Community of bovine 
embryos and repealing Decision 2005/217/EC (  2 ) estab ­
lishes in Annex I thereto the list of third countries from 
which Member States are to authorise imports of 
embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species 
(‘the embryos’). It also lays down additional guarantees 
as regards specific animal diseases to be provided by 
certain third countries listed in that Annex.  
(2) Decision 2006/168/EC also provides that Member States 
are to authorise imports of embryos that comply with 
the animal health requirements set out in the model 
veterinary certificates in Annexes II, III and IV to that 
Decision.  
(3) The animal health requirements relating to bluetongue in 
the model veterinary certificates in Annexes II, III and IV 
to Decision 2006/168/EC are based on the recommen ­
dations of Chapter 8.3 of the Terrestrial Animal Health 
Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) 
which deals with bluetongue. That Chapter recommends 
a whole range of risk mitigating measures aiming at 
either protecting the mammalian host from exposure to 
the infectious vector or at inactivating the virus by anti ­
bodies.  
(4) In addition, the OIE has laid down a chapter on 
Surveillance for arthropod vectors of animal diseases in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Those recommen ­
dations do not include the monitoring of ruminants for 
antibodies to Simbu viruses, such as the Akabane and 
Aino viruses of the  Bunyaviridae  family, which in the past 
was considered an economical method for determining 
the distribution of bluetongue competent vectors until 
more information on the spread of those diseases 
became available.  
(5) Also, the OIE does not list Akabane and Aino diseases in 
the Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Consequently, the 
requirement for annual testing for those diseases to 
prove the absence of the vector should be deleted from 
Annex I to Decision 2006/168/EC and from the model 
veterinary certificates in Annexes II, III and IV thereto.  
(6) In addition, bilateral agreements have been concluded 
between the Union and certain third countries containing 
specific conditions for the imports of embryos into the 
Union. Therefore, in the interests of consistency where 
those bilateral agreements contain specific conditions and 
model veterinary certificates for imports, those 
conditions and models should apply instead of the 
conditions and models set out in Decision 2006/168/EC.  
(7) The animal health status of Switzerland is equivalent to 
that of the Member States. It is therefore appropriate that  
in vivo  derived and  in vitro  produced embryos imported 
into the Union from that third country are accompanied 
by a veterinary certificate drawn up in accordance with 
the model intra-trade certificate used for trade within the 
Union in embryos of domestic animals of the bovine 
species set out in Annex C to Directive 89/556/EEC. 
That certificate should take account of the adaptations 
set out in point 2 of Chapter VI(B) of Appendix 2 of 
Annex 11 to the Agreement between the European 
Community and the Swiss Confederation on Trade in 
Agricultural Products, as approved by Decision 
2002/309/EC, Euratom of the Council, and of the 
Commission as regards the Agreement on Scientific 
and Technological Cooperation, of 4 April 2002 on 
the conclusion of seven Agreements with the Swiss 
Confederation (  3 ).EN L 194/12 Official Journal of the European Union 21.7.2012  
( 1 ) OJ L 302, 19.10.1989, p. 1.  
( 2 ) OJ L 57, 28.2.2006, p. 19.  (  3 ) OJ L 114, 30.4.2002, p. 1.(8) On the basis of Directive 89/556/EEC, New Zealand was 
also recognised as a third country with an animal health 
status equivalent to that of Member States for imports of  
in vivo  derived embryos.  
(9) It is therefore appropriate that  in vivo  derived embryos 
collected in New Zealand and imported into the Union 
from that third country are accompanied by a simplified 
certificate drawn up in accordance with the appropriate 
model health certificate set out in Annex IV to 
Commission Decision 2003/56/EC of 24 January 2003 
on health certificates for the importation of live animals 
and animal products from New Zealand (  1 ) laid down in 
accordance with the Agreement between the European 
Community and New Zealand on sanitary measures 
applicable to trade in live animals and animal prod ­
ucts (  2 ), as approved by Council Decision 97/132/EC (  3 ). 
(10) Commission Decision 2007/240/EC (  4 ) provides that the 
various veterinary, public and animal health certificates 
required for the imports into the Union of live animals, 
semen, embryo, ova and products of animal origin are to 
be based on the standard models for veterinary 
certificates set out in Annex I thereto. In the interests 
of consistency and simplification of Union legislation, the 
model veterinary certificates set out in Annexes II, III and 
IV to Decision 2006/168/EC should take account of 
Decision 2007/240/EC.  
(11) Annexes I to IV to Decision 2006/168/EC should 
therefore be amended accordingly.  
(12) To avoid any disruption of trade, the use of veterinary 
certificates issued in accordance with Decision 
2006/168/EC in its version prior to the amendments 
introduced by this Decision should be authorised 
during a transitional period subject to certain conditions.  (13) The measures provided for in this Decision are in 
accordance with the opinion of the Standing 
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,  
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:  
Article 1  
Annexes I to IV to Decision 2006/168/EC are amended in 
accordance with the Annex to this Decision.  
Article 2  
For a transitional period until 30 June 2013, Member States 
shall continue to authorise imports of consignments of embryos 
of domestic animals of the bovine species from third countries 
which are accompanied by a veterinary certificate issued not 
later than 31 May 2013 in accordance with the models set 
out in Annexes II, III and IV to Decision 2006/168/EC in its 
version prior to the amendments introduced by this Decision.  
Article 3  
This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2013.  
Article 4  
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.  
Done at Brussels, 17 July 2012.  
For the Commission  
John DALLI  
Member of the CommissionEN 21.7.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 194/13  
( 1 ) OJ L 22, 25.1.2003, p. 38.  
( 2 ) OJ L 57, 26.2.1997, p. 5.  
( 3 ) OJ L 57, 26.2.1997, p. 4.  
( 4 ) OJ L 104, 21.4.2007, p. 37.ANNEX  
Annexes I to IV to Decision 2006/168/EC are replaced by the following:  
‘ANNEX I  
ISO code  Third country  Applicable veterinary certificate  
AR Argentina  ANNEX II  ANNEX III  ANNEX IV  
AU Australia  ANNEX II  ANNEX III  ANNEX IV  
CA Canada  ANNEX II  ANNEX III  ANNEX IV  
CH Switzerland (*)  ANNEX II  ANNEX III  ANNEX IV  
HR Croatia  ANNEX II  ANNEX III  ANNEX IV  
IL Israel  ANNEX II  ANNEX III  ANNEX IV  
MK the former Yugoslav Republic 
of Macedonia (**)  ANNEX II  ANNEX III  ANNEX IV  
NZ New Zealand (***)  ANNEX II  ANNEX III  ANNEX IV  
US United States  ANNEX II  ANNEX III  ANNEX IV  
(*) For  in vivo  derived and  in vitro  produced embryos, the certificates to be used for imports from Switzerland are set out in Annex C to 
Directive 89/556/EEC, with the adaptations set out in point 2 of Chapter VI(B) of Appendix 2 of Annex 11 to the Agreement 
between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Trade in Agricultural Products as approved by Decision 
2002/309/EC, Euratom of the Council, and of the Commission as regards the Agreement on Scientific and Technological 
Cooperation of 4 April 2002 on the conclusion of seven Agreements with the Swiss Confederation. 
(**) Provisional code that does not affect the definitive denomination of the country to be attributed after the conclusion of the 
negotiations currently taking place in the United Nations. 
(***) For  in vivo  derived embryos, the certificate to be used for imports from New Zealand is set out in Annex IV to Commission Decision 
2003/56/EC of 24 January 2003 on health certificates for the imp ortation of live animals and animal products from New Zealand 
(only for the embryos collected in New Zealand), laid down in accordance with the Agreement between the European Community 
and New Zealand on sanitary measures applicable to trade in live animals and animal products, as approved by Council Decision 
97/132/EC.EN L 194/14 Official Journal of the European Union 21.7.2012ANNEX II  
Model veterinary certificate for imports of  in vivo  derived embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species 
collected in accordance with Council Directive 89/556/EEC
EN 21.7.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 194/15EN L 194/16 Official Journal of the European Union 21.7.2012EN 21.7.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 194/17ANNEX III  
Model veterinary certificate for imports of  in vitro  produced embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species 
conceived using semen complying with Council Directive 88/407/EEC
EN L 194/18 Official Journal of the European Union 21.7.2012EN 21.7.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 194/19EN L 194/20 Official Journal of the European Union 21.7.2012EN 21.7.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 194/21ANNEX IV  
Model veterinary certificate for imports of  in vitro -produced embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species 
conceived using semen coming from semen collection or storage centres approved by the competent authority 
of the exporting country
EN L 194/22 Official Journal of the European Union 21.7.2012EN 21.7.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 194/23EN L 194/24 Official Journal of the European Union 21.7.2012EN 21.7.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 194/25