WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/363 
10 December 2009 
 (09-6407) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission. Health & Consumers Directorate-General 
Directorate D - Animal Health and Welfare 
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):  Aquaculture fish including ornamental aquatic animals (HS Codes 03.01, 
03.01.10) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  EU member States and third countries exporting 
these products to the European Union.  
5. Title of the notified document:  " Draft Commission Regulation of *** amending 
Regulation (EC) No 1251/2008 as regards the placing on the market and import requirements for consignments of aquaculture animals intended for member States or parts 
thereof with national measures approved in accordance with Decision 2009/XX/EC" 
(Document SANCO/4790/2009)"  Language:  English  Number of pages:  28 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2009/sps/EEC/09_4314_00_e.pdf
 
6. Description of content:  The draft Regulation updates the wording of the attestations of the 
model of animal health certificates as regards the following diseases:  Spring vireamia of carp (SVC), Bacterial kidney disease (BKD), Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPN) and Infection with Gyrodactylus salaris (GS) to  bring them in line with the principles of 
Council Directive 2006/88/EC and the latest deve lopment of the OIE Animal Health Code 
as regards the above-mentioned diseases.  The import requirements are simplified, but not 
made any stricter. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] 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/EEC/363 
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  8. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)   
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  Aquatic Animal Health Code, in particular 
chapters 5.1, 5.10, 10.3 and 10.8  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [X] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    
9. Other relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   
More information on import conditions can be obtained from: 
• SANCO Web page 
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimal s/aquaculture/market_imports_en.htm   
• The Export Helpdesk.  An online service of  the European Commission, to provide 
relevant information required by developing countries exporters interested in supplying 
the EU market, available from the following link:  
http://exporthelp.eur opa.eu/index_en.html  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  As soon as possible 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  As soon as possible 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its 
publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. 
1. For a transitional period until 30 June 2010, consignments of aquaculture animals 
accompanied by an animal health certificate i ssued in accordance with Parts A and B of 
Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1251/2008 be fore the amendments introduced by the 
present Regulation, may continue to be impor ted into or transited through the Union. 
2. For a transitional period until 30 June 2011, consignment of aquaculture animals 
accompanied by an animal health certificate issued in accordance with Part A or B of 
Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1251/2008 be fore the amendments introduced by the 
present Regulation, may continue to be impor ted into or transited through the Union 
provided that the animal health attestations  as regards Spring viraemia of carp (SVC), 
Bacterial kidney disease (BKD), Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPN) and Infection with Gyrodactylus salaris (GS) set out in Pa rt II of those certificates are not applicable. 
[X] Trade facilitating measure    G/SPS/N/EEC/363 
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  12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  8 February 2010.  This document is a recasting of 
previous legislation.  The rules regardi ng imports have not been amended, but the 
certification obligations have been simplified. 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:  sps@ec.europa.eu 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:  
sps@ec.europa.eu