COMMISSION DECISION of 10 January 1992 concerning animal health conditions and veterinary certification for the importation of bovine semen from Switzerland (92/127/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) , as last amended by Directive 90/425/EEC(2) , and, in particular Articles 10 and 11 thereof,
Whereas Switzerland 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 Switzerland is good and controlled by well-structured and organized veterinary services as regards diseases transmissible through semen;
Whereas the competent veterinary authorities of Switzerland have confirmed that Switzerland has for at least 12 months been free from rinderpest, foot-and-mouth disease, contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia and bluetongue and that no vaccinations have been carried out against any of those diseases other than foot-and-mouth disease during that time;
Whereas the competent veterinary authorities of Switzerland have undertaken to notify the Commission of the European Communities and the Member States by telex or telefax, within 24 hours, of the confirmation of the occurrence of any of the abovementioned diseases or of any change in vaccination policy concerning any of them or, within an appropriate period, of any proposed change in the Swiss import rules concerning domestic animals or the semen or embryos thereof;
Whereas the competent veterinary authorities of Switzerland 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 Switzerland have undertaken to supervise officially the issue of certificates arising from this Decision and to ensure that 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 Switzerland 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 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. A Member State which does not practice vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease shall authorize the entry onto its territory of semen collected from bulls in an approved centre in which there are no bulls which have been vaccinated against that disease or from bulls in an approved centre in which all the bulls have been vaccinated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 of Annex C to Directive 88/407/EEC but, in the latter case, may require that up to 10 % of each collection of such semen, with a minimum of five straws, be submitted, with negative result, to a virus isolation test for foot-and-mouth disease virus in a laboratory nominated by the importing Member State.
2. Member States shall authorize the importation from Switzerland of bovine semen which conforms to the conditions set out in the certificate in Annex I A and, where relevant, the certificate in Annex I B to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision shall come into effect 14 days after its notification to the Member States.
Article 3
This Decision shall be reviewed in the light of any relevant amendment to Council Directive 88/407/EEC.
Article 4
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 10 January 1992.