COMMISSION DECISION
of 6 November 2006
establishing the lists of third countries and territories from which imports of bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates, marine gastropods and fishery products are permitted
(notified under document number C(2006) 5171)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2006/766/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption (1), and in particular Article 11(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
The special conditions for the import of bivalve molluscs, tunicates, echinoderms and marine gastropods and of fishery products from third countries have been laid down in Regulation (EC) No 854/2004.
(2)
Commission Decision 97/20/EC (2) established the list of third countries fulfilling the equivalence conditions for the production and placing on the market of bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods and Commission Decision 97/296/EC (3) drew up the list of third countries from which the import of fishery products is authorised for human consumption.
(3)
Lists should be drawn up containing the third countries and territories which satisfy the criteria referred to in Article 11(4) of Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 and which are therefore able to guarantee that bivalve molluscs, tunicates, echinoderms and marine gastropods and fishery products exported to the Community meet the sanitary conditions laid down to protect the health of consumers. Nevertheless, imports of adductor muscles of pectinidae other than aquaculture animals, completely separated from the viscera and gonads, should also be permitted from third countries not appearing on such a list.
(4)
The competent authorities of Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay have provided appropriate guarantees that the conditions applicable to live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods are equivalent to those provided for in the relevant Community legislation.
(5)
The competent authorities of Armenia, Belarus and Ukraine have provided appropriate guarantees that the conditions applicable to fishery products are equivalent to those provided for in the relevant Community legislation.
(6)
Decisions 97/20/EC and 97/296/EC should therefore be repealed and replaced by a new Decision.
(7)
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
Imports of bivalve molluscs, tunicates, echinoderms and marine gastropods
1. The list of third countries from which bivalve molluscs, tunicates, echinoderms and marine gastropods may be imported, as referred to in Article 11(1) of Regulation (EC) No 854/2004, is established in Annex I to this Decision.
2. Notwithstanding Article 11(1) of Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 , Paragraph 1 shall not apply to the adductor muscles of pectinidae other than aquaculture animals, completely separated from the viscera and gonads, that may be imported also from third countries not appearing on the list referred to in paragraph 1.
Article 2
Imports of fishery products
The list of third countries and territories from which fishery products may be imported, as referred to in Article 11(1) of Regulation (EC) No 854/2004, is established in Annex II to this Decision.
Article 3
Repeal
Decisions 97/20/EC and 97/296/EC are repealed.
References to the repealed Decisions shall be construed as references to this Decision.
Article 4
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 6 November 2006.