COMMISSION DECISION of 29 July 1991 concerning animal health conditions and veterinary certification for the importation of bovine semen from the United States of America (91/479/EEC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 88/407/EEC of 14 June 1988 laying down the animal health requirements applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of deep-frozen semen of domestic animals of the bovine species (1), at last amended by Directive 90/425/EEC (2), and, in particular, Articles 10 and 11 thereof,
Whereas the United States of America appears in the list, established by Commission Decision 90/14/EEC (3), of third countries from which Member States authorize importation of semen of domestic animals of the bovine species;
Whereas it appears that the animal health situation in the United States of America is good and controlled by well-structured and organized veterinary services as regards diseases transmissible through semen;
Whereas the competent veterinary authorities of the United States of America have confirmed that the United States of America has for at least 12 months been free from rinderpest, foot-and-mouth disease and contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia and that no vaccinations have been carried out against those diseases during that time;
Whereas the competent veterinary authorities of the United States of America have undertaken to notify the Commission and the Member States by telex or telefax, within 24 hours,of the conformation of the occurence of any of the abovementioned diseases or of bluetongue or epizootic haemorrhagic disease or of any change in vaccination policy concerning any of them or, within an appropriate period, of any proposed change in the United States' import rules concerning domestic animals or the semen or embryos thereof;
Whereas the competent veterinary authorities of the United States of America have provided animal health guarantees in respect of bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis which are equivalent to those applicable within the Community;
Whereas the competent veterinary authorities of the United States of America have undertaken to supervise officially the issue of certificates arising from this Decision and to ensure all relevant certificates, derogations and laboratory findings on which certification may have been based remain on official file for at least 12 months following the dispatch of the semen to which they refer;
Whereas the competent veterinary authorities of the United States of America have undertaken to approve officially semen collection centres for the export of bovine semen to the European Economic Community as required by Article 9 of Directive 88/407/EEC;
Whereas the competent veterinary authorities of the United States of America have undertaken to determine and to communicate without delay to the Commission the date on which, in respect of each approved semen collection centre, all activity of those Culicoides species capable of transmitting bluetongue or epizootic haemorrhagic disease ceases and the date on which the activity of such Culicoides species is resumed;
Whereas animal health conditions and veterinary certification must be adapted according to the animal health situation of the third country concerned;
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. Until 31 December 1992, Member States may authorize the importation from the United States of America of bovine semen collected from bulls which have given other than a negative result to the test for bluetongue or the test for epizootic haemorrhagic disease prescribed in Annex I A to this Decision, but shall do so in accordance with the provisions of Annexes II A and II B and shall ensure that such semen does not enter into intra-Community trade. The Commission will review the provisions of this paragraph before the date indicated above.
2. Member States shall authorize the importation from the United States of America of bovine semen which conforms to the conditions listed in the certificate set out in Annex I A and, where relevant, the certificate set out in Annex I B.
Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 29 July 1991.