COMMISSION DECISION of 12 December 1996 amending Council Decision 79/542/EEC and Commission Decisions 92/160/EEC, 92/260/EEC and 93/197/EEC in relation to the temporary admission and imports into the Community of registered horses from South Africa (Text with EEA relevance) (97/10/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 90/426/EEC of 26 June 1990 on animal health conditions governing the movement and imports from third countries of equidae (1), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Articles 12 (2), 13 (2), 14, 15, 16 and 19 (i) thereof,
Whereas South Africa is included in Part 1 of the Annex to Council Decision 79/542/EEC (2) establishing the list of third countries from which Member States authorize imports of bovine animals, swine, equidae, sheep and goats, fresh meat and meat products, as last amended by Commission Decision 95/624/EC (3); whereas, however, the importation of equidae from South Africa is currently suspended;
Whereas Commission Decision 92/160/EEC (4), as last amended by Decision 95/536/EC (5), established the regionalization of certain third countries for imports of equidae;
Whereas Commission Decision 92/260/EEC (6), as last amended by Decision 92/279/EEC (7), established the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for temporary admission of registered horses;
Whereas Commission Decision 93/197/EEC (8), as last amended by Decision 96/279/EC, established the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of registered equidae and equidae for breeding and production;
Whereas following a Commission veterinary inspection mission to South Africa the animal health situation appears to be under the satisfactory control of well structured and organized veterinary services;
Whereas African horse sickness is endemic in certain parts of South Africa; whereas, however, the Cape Peninsula has been free of African horse sickness for more than five years, and systematic vaccination against African horse sickness has not been carried out during the last 12 months;
Whereas an initial sero-epidemiological monitoring for African horse sickness was carried out with satisfactory results on all horses and on a representative sample of other equidae in the proposed African horse sickness free area and on random samples of horses in the proposed surveillance and protection zone in the Western Cape Province to establish the serological status of the resident equidae population in relation to antibodies against African horse sickness and equine encephalosis virus;
Whereas dourine is endemic in certain parts of South Africa; whereas, however, the Western Cape Province has been free of dourine for more than six months; whereas South Africa is officially free of glanders, equine encephalomyelitis of all types, equine infectious anaemia and vesicular stomatitis for more than six months;
Whereas the veterinary authorities of South Africa have guaranteed to notify within 24 hours by telefax, telegram or telex to the Commission and the Member States the confirmation of any infectious or contagious disease in equidae mentioned in Annex A to Council Directive 90/426/EEC and any change in the vaccination policy, and within an appropriate time, in the import policy in respect of equidae;
Whereas the veterinary authorities of South Africa have provided certain guarantees in respect of registered horses intended for temporary admission or permanent imports into the Community;
Whereas the animal health conditions must be adopted in accordance with the animal health situation of the third country concerned; whereas due to necessary requirements in relation to movement control and quarantine within South Africa the present case relates only to the temporary admission and imports of registered horses;
Whereas Decisions 79/542/EEC, 92/160/EEC, 92/260/EEC and 93/197/EEC must be amended accordingly;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The regionalization of South Africa in respect of the temporary admission and imports into the Community of registered horses shall apply under the condition that the additional guarantees in Annex I are fulfilled.
Article 2
In Part 1 of the Annex to Decision 79/542/EEC in the column 'live animals` under 'Special Remarks` the footnote '(6)` relating to South Africa is replaced by '(5)`.
Article 3
The Annex to Decision 92/160/EEC is amended as follows:
1. the following words are added:
'South Africa (3)
the metropolitan area of Cape Town delineated as follows:
>TABLE>
`2. the corresponding footnote is added:
'(3) Only temporary admission and permanent imports into the Community of registered horses are authorized.`
Article 4
Decision 92/260/EEC is amended as follows:
1. the following words are added to Annex I:
'Group F
South Africa (1)`;
2. in Annex II the following is added:
(a) 'F. Health certificate for temporary admission of registered horses from third countries assigned to group F.`;
(b) Annex II to this Decision.
Article 5
Decision 93/197/EEC is amended as follows:
1. the following words are added to Annex I:
'Group F
South Africa (1)`;
2. in Annex II the following is added:
(a) 'F. Health certificate for imports of registered equidae and equidae for breeding and production form third countries assigned to Group F.`;
(b) Annex III to this Decision.
Article 6
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 12 December 1996.