COMMISSION DECISION of 20 March 1992 concerning the requirements as regards animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of fresh meat from Argentina (92/215/EEC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic 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 Directive 91/688/EEC (2), and in particular Article 16 thereof,
Whereas the requirements as regards animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of fresh meat from Argentina are laid down in Commission Decision 86/194/EEC (3), as amended by Decision 91/143/EEC (4), adopting additional health protection measures as a result of a deterioration of the situation with regard to the control of foot-and-mouth disease in Argentina;
Whereas during the last Community on-the-spot inspection in July 1991, there appeared to be a clear improvement in the general situation with regard to the control of foot-and-mouth disease in Argentina, which is now equivalent to the situation in other foot-and-mouth disease affected countries in the region;
Whereas it is therefore appropriate to adopt new health requirements in respect of imports of fresh meat from Argentina, which would correspond to the conditions required for imports of fresh meat from all the countries in that region; whereas it is therefore appropriate to repeal the animal health conditions in force under Decision 86/194/EEC;
Whereas Member States and the Commission continue to monitor the development of the situation with regard to foot-and-mouth disease in Argentina as well as in all the other countries in that region; whereas new additional measures can be adopted, if necessary, and more particularly within the framework of a health policy established for that region;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance which the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. Member States shall authorize the import of fresh meat from Argentina as follows:
(a) de-boned fresh meat of bovine animals, sheep and goats, excluding offal, from which has been removed the major accessible lymphatic glands, which presents the guarantees laid down in the accompanying animal health certificate corresponding with the specimen in Annex A;
(b) fresh meat, with or without bone, of bovine animals, sheep and goats born, reared and slaughtered in those regions of Argentina south of the 42nd parallel, which presents the guarantees laid down in the accompanying animal health certificate corresponding with the specimen in Annex B;
(c) fresh meat of domestic solipeds which presents the guarantees laid down in the accompanying animal health certificate corresponding with the specimen in Annex C;
(d) in addition to the offal which may be imported under point (b), the following offal of bovine animals:
- completely trimmed hearts,
- completely trimmed diaphragmatic muscles,
- completely trimmed tongues with epithelium and without bone, cartilage or tonsils,
which presents the guarantees laid down in the accompanying animal health certificate corresponding with the specimen in Annex D.
2. Member States shall prohibit the import of categories of fresh meat from Argentina other than those mentioned in paragraph 1.
3. Member States shall ensure that bone-in meat, other than meat of domestic solipeds, originating in those regions south of the 42nd parallel, shall not enter the importing Member State's territory for at least 21 days from the date of slaughter.
Article 2
1. Notwithstanding Article 1 (2), Member States may also authorize the import of certain kinds of offal of bovine animals:
- completely trimmed livers,
- completely trimmed masseter muscles,
- trimmed lungs,
- other trimmed offal without bone or cartilage,
presenting at least the guarantees laid down in the accompanying animal health certificate corresponding with the specimen in Annex E. Masseter muscles may be used either for human consumption or in the manufacture of pet food. Lungs, livers and other offal are to be used in the manufacture of pet food.
2. The authorization provided for in paragraph 1 shall be given only to establishments especially approved for this purpose by Member States. Member States shall immediately inform the Commission of the approval and the conditions of approval of such establishments.
In any case, the authorization shall only be granted to a processing establishment approved by the national authorities and under continuous veterinary supervision and on condition that a guarantee is provided that the raw material will be used only for the specified purpose without risk of contact with any product which remains unsterilized, and that it will not leave the establishment in its original state, except in case of necessity where it is consigned to an animal carcase destruction plant under the control of an official veterinarian. In addition the following minimum conditions shall be met:
(a) on dispatch to Community territory, the raw material shall be enclosed in leak-proof and sealed containers. In case masseter muscles are used for human consumption, the cartons, the containers and the accompanying documents must be marked: 'Use restricted to the manufacture of cooked meat-based products'.
Where livers, masseter muscles, lungs or other offal are to be used in the manufacture of pet food, the cartons, the containers and the accompanying documents must be marked: 'Use restricted to the manufacture of pet food'.
In both cases, the containers and the accompanying documents shall bear the name and address of the consignee;
(b) the raw material shall be transported from the point of arrival in Community territory in containers or means of transport which are leak-proof, duly sealed, to the processing establishment approved by the national authorities and under continuous veterinary supervision.
However, in case of necessity, the raw material may be consigned temporarily to a cold store which is approved for the purpose and is under continuous veterinary supervision provided the above conditions are met;
(c) on arrival in the territory of the Member State of destination and before dispatch of the raw material to the approved processing establishment, notification of intending dispatch shall be made by the quickest means possible to the local official veterinarian;
(d) the raw material, during manufacture, shall be sterilized in tins in such a way as to achieve a minimum Fc value of 3 and a veterinary inspection shall be made to ensure that the finished product has actually achieved that value;
(e) the vehicles and containers or any other means of transport referred to in (b) and all equipment and utensils which come into contact with the raw material before sterilization shall be cleansed and disinfected and packagings shall be destroyed in an incinerator.
3. The authorization mentioned in paragraph 1 shall be notified to the competent authorities of Member States through which the raw material will pass.
Article 3
While continuing to prohibit routine vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease in their territories, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom may, in respect of the de-boned fresh meat of bovine animals, sheep and goats referred to in Article 1 (1) (a), of the fresh meat of bovine animals, sheep and goats referred to in Article 1 (1) (b) and of the offal referred to in Article 1 (1) (d) retain the arrangements which they were applying to the import of this meat.
Article 4
This Decision shall not apply to imports of glands and organs authorized by the country of destination for pharmaceutical manufacturing purposes.
Article 5
The certificates currently used, amended if necessary in accordance with the provisions of this Decision, may be used until 1 June 1992.
Article 6
This Decision shall be reviewed in the light of the evolution of foot-and-mouth disease in the Community and in the event of any changes in the control measures taken for this disease.
Article 7
Decision 86/194/EEC is hereby repealed.
Article 8
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 20 March 1992.