COMMISSION DECISION of 20 September 1991 concerning animal health conditions and veterinary certification for the importation of bovine semen from Canada (91/549/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 Canada 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 Canada is good and controlled by well-structured and organized veterinary services as regards diseases transmissible through semen;
Whereas the competent veterinary authorities of Canada have confirmed that Canada 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 Canada 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 any occurence of any of the above diseases in any part of Canada or of any change in vaccination policy concerning any of them or of the confirmation of any occurence of bluetongue or of epizootic haemorrhagic disease in any part of Canada other than in the Okanagan Valley or, within an appropriate period, of any proposed change in the Canadian import rules concening domestic animals or the semen or embryos thereof;
Whereas the competent veterinary authorities of Canada 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 Canada 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 Canada 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 bluetongue has been confirmed in the Okanagan Valley region of British Columbia, Canada; whereas this region presents particular geographic and climatic features which confine that disease to a zone within the region;
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
Member States shall authorize the importation from Canada (with the exception of the Okanagan Valley region of British Columbia, as defined in Annex II to this Decision) 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 is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 20 September 1991.