COMMISSION DECISION of 30 October 1996 concerning animal health conditions and veterinary certificates for the importation of domestic animals of the porcine species from the Republic of Cyprus (Text with EEA relevance) (96/650/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972 on health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine, ovine and caprine animals and swine, fresh meat or meat products from third countries (1), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 8 thereof,
Whereas Member States are required to import domestic animals of the bovine and porcine species in accordance with the provisions of Council Directive 91/496/EEC (2), as last amended by Directive 96/43/EC (3), which lays down the principles governing the organization of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries;
Whereas following Community veterinary missions it appears that the animal health situation in the Republic of Cyprus is controlled by veterinary services which can offer satisfactory guarantees concerning diseases which might be transmitted through the importation of domestic animals of the porcine species;
Whereas the responsible veterinary authorities of the Republic of Cyprus have confirmed that the Republic of Cyprus has during the last 24 months been free from foot-and-mouth disease and during the last 12 months been free from classical swine fever, African swine fever, porcine enteroviral encephalomyelitis (Teschen disease), swine vesicular disease and vesicular exanthema and during the last six months been free from vesicular stomatitis; whereas no vaccinations have been carried out against any of those diseases during the past 12 months;
Whereas the responsible veterinary authorities of the Republic of Cyprus have undertaken to notify the Commission and the Member States, by telex or telefax, within 24 hours of confirmation of the occurrence of any of the abovementioned diseases or of the adoption of vaccination against any of them or, within an appropriate period, of any proposed changes in the Cypriot import rules concerning swine or the semen or embryos thereof;
Whereas the responsible veterinary authorities of the Republic of Cyprus have undertaken to supervise officially the issue of certificates arising from this Decision and to ensure that all relevant certificates, declarations and statements on which export certification may have been based remain on official file for at least 12 months following the dispatch of the animals to which they refer;
Whereas the responsible veterinary authorities of the Republic of Cyprus have undertaken not to permit the issue of the certificates described in the Annexes to this Decision in respect of animals which have been imported unless such animals were imported in accordance with veterinary conditions at least as strict as the relevant requirements of Directive 72/462/EEC, including any subsidiary decisions;
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
1. Without prejudice to paragraph 2, Member States shall authorize the importation from the Republic of Cyprus of the following animals:
(a) domestic animals of the porcine species for breeding or production which meet the requirements set out in the health certificate of which a model is shown in Annex A and which are accompanied by such a certificate;
(b) domestic animals of the porcine species for slaughter which meet the requirements set out in the health certificate of which a model is shown in Annex B and which are accompanied by such a certificate.
2. Member States shall authorize the importation from the Republic of Cyprus of the domestic animals of the porcine species indicated in paragraph 1 which have been imported into the Republic of Cyprus only if such animals were imported from the Community or from a third country included in the list annexed to Council Decision 79/542/EEC (4) in so far as it covers domestic animals of this species and only if the importation was made in accordance with veterinary conditions at least as strict as the requirements of Chapter II of Directive 72/462/EEC, including any subsidiary decisions.
3. Members States shall require that animals which are submitted to tests in pursuance of this Decision are continuously isolated under conditions approved by an official veterinarian of the Republic of Cyprus from all cloven-hoofed animals not intended for export to the Community or not of equivalent health status to such animals from the time of the first of such tests to the time of loading.
4. Member States shall make the introduction onto their territory of porcine animals from the Republic of Cyprus subject to the following conditions:
(a) a guarantee that the animals to be imported have not been vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease;
(b) a guarantee that they have not been vaccinated against classical swine fever and, in the case of pigs intended for breeding or production, a guarantee that they have shown a negative result to a test for the antibody produced by the virus of classical swine fever.
Article 2
Pending the entry into force of any measures adopted by the Community for the eradication, prevention or control of a contagious or infectious porcine disease other than rabies, brucellosis, foot-and-mouth disease, anthrax, porcine enteroviral encephalomyelitis (Teschen disease), classical swine fever, African swine fever or swine vesicular disease, Member States may apply in respect of animals imported from the Republic of Cyprus such additional health conditions as they apply to other animals within the framework of a national programme, submitted to and approved by the Commission, for the eradication, prevention or control of such disease.
Article 3
This Decision shall apply from the thirtieth day following that of its notification to the Member States.
Article 4
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 30 October 1996.