COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION  
of 18 July 2012  
amending Implementing Decision 2011/630/EU as regards animal health requirements relating to 
bluetongue and Simbu viruses  
(notified under document C(2012) 4882)  
(Text with EEA relevance)  
(2012/415/EU)  
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,  
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European 
Union,  
Having regard to Council Directive 88/407/EEC of 14 June 
1988 laying down the animal health requirements applicable 
to intra-Community trade in and imports of semen of 
domestic animals of the bovine species (  1 ), and in particular 
the first subparagraph of Article 10(2) and Article 11(2) thereof,  
Whereas:  
(1) Commission Implementing Decision 2011/630/EU of 
20 September 2011 on imports into the Union of 
semen of domestic animals of the bovine species (  2 ) 
lays down the list of third countries from which 
Member States are to authorise imports of semen of 
domestic animals of the bovine species and additional 
guarantees as regards specific animal diseases to be 
provided by certain third countries listed in Annex I 
thereto. It also lays down certification requirements for 
the imports of such semen into the Union.  
(2) The model animal health certificate in Section A of Part 
1 of Annex II to Implementing Decision 2011/630/EU 
includes the animal health requirements for imports into 
the Union of semen of domestic animals of the bovine 
species collected, processed and stored in accordance 
with Directive 88/407/EEC, as amended by Council 
Directive 2003/43/EC (  3 ). 
(3) The current animal health requirements for bluetongue in 
the model health certificate in Section A of Part 1 of 
Annex II to Implementing Decision 2011/630/EU 
provide that donor animals must fulfil the import 
conditions for bovine semen laid down in the Bluetongue 
Chapter of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the 
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). 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 inacti ­
vating the virus by antibodies. In the interest of legal 
certainty, it is appropriate that that model health 
certificate sets out clearly the relevant requirements and 
the guarantees to be provided by the exporting third 
country, depending on the epidemiological situation.  (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 Implementing Decision 2011/630/EU and 
from the model health certificate in Section A of Part 
1 of Annex II thereto.  
(6) Implementing Decision 2011/630/EU should therefore 
be amended accordingly.  
(7) To avoid any disruption of trade, the use of animal 
health certificates issued in accordance with Imple ­
menting Decision 2011/630/EU in its version prior to 
the amendments introduced by this Decision should be 
authorised during a transitional period subject to certain 
conditions.  
(8) 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  
The Annexes to Implementing Decision 2011/630/EU are 
amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.  
Article 2  
For a transitional period until 30 June 2013, Member States 
shall authorise imports of semen and stocks of semen from 
third countries which are accompanied by an animal health 
certificate issued not later than 31 May 2013 in accordance 
with the model set out in Section A of Part 1 of Annex II to 
Implementing Decision 2011/630/EU before the amendments 
introduced by this Decision.EN L 194/26 Official Journal of the European Union 21.7.2012  
( 1 ) OJ L 194, 22.7.1988, p. 10.  
( 2 ) OJ L 247, 24.9.2011, p. 32.  
( 3 ) OJ L 143, 11.6.2003, p. 23.Article 3  
This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2013.  
Article 4  
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.  
Done at Brussels, 18 July 2012.  
For the Commission  
John DALLI  
Member of the CommissionEN 21.7.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 194/27ANNEX  
1. Annex I is replaced by the following:  
‘ANNEX I  
List of third countries or parts thereof from which Member States shall authorise imports of semen of 
domestic animals of the bovine species  
ISO Code  Name of the third country  Remarks  
Description of the territory 
(if appropriate)  Additional guarantees  
AU Australia  The additional guarantee concer ­
ning testing set out in point 
II.5.4.1 of the certificate in 
Section A of Part 1 of Annex II 
is compulsory.  
CA Canada (*)  
CH Switzerland (**)  
CL Chile  
GL Greenland  
HR Croatia  
IS Iceland  
NZ New Zealand  
PM Saint Pierre and Miquelon  
US United States  The additional guarantee set out in 
point II.5.4.1 of the certificate in 
Section A of Part 1 of Annex II 
is compulsory.  
(*) The certificate to be used for imports from Canada is set out in Commission Decision 2005/290/EC of 4 April 2005 on simplif ied 
certificates for the importation of bovine semen and fresh pig meat from Canada and amending Decision 2004/639/EC (only for 
the semen collected in Canada) laid down in accordance with the Agreement between the European Community and the 
Government of Canada on sanitary measures to protect public and ani mal health in respect of trade in live animals and 
animal products, as approved by Council Decision 1999/201/EC. 
(**) The certificates to be used for imports from Switzerland are set out in Annex D to Directive 88/407/EEC, with the adaptati ons set 
out in point 4 of Chapter VII(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.’EN L 194/28 Official Journal of the European Union 21.7.20122. In Part 1 of Annex II, Section A is replaced by the following:  
‘SECTION A  
Model 1 — Animal health certificate applicable to imports and transits of semen of domestic animals of the 
bovine species collected, processed and stored in accordance with Council Directive 88/407/EEC, as amended by 
Directive 2003/43/EC, dispatched from a semen collection centre where the semen was collected
EN 21.7.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 194/29EN L 194/30 Official Journal of the European Union 21.7.2012EN 21.7.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 194/31EN L 194/32 Official Journal of the European Union 21.7.2012