COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 206/2010
of 12 March 2010
laying down lists of third countries, territories or parts thereof authorised for the introduction into the European Union of certain animals and fresh meat and the veterinary certification requirements
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A (I) to Directive 90/425/EEC (1), and in particular Articles 17(2)(b) and 17(3)(a), the first subparagraph of Article 17(3)(c), the fourth indent of Article 18(1) and Article 19 thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16 December 2002 laying down the animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption (2), and in particular Article 8, Article 9(2)(b) and Article 9(4) thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 2004/68/EC of 26 April 2004 laying down animal health rules for the importation into and transit through the Community of certain live ungulate animals, amending Directives 90/426/EEC and 92/65/EEC and repealing Directive 72/462/EEC (3), and in particular the first and second subparagraphs of Article 3(1), the first subparagraph of Article 6(1), Article 7(e), Article 8, the first paragraph of Article 10 and Article 13(1) thereof,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (4), and in particular Article 12 thereof,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (5), and in particular Article 9 thereof,
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 (6), and in particular Article 11(1) and Article 16 thereof,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules (7), and in particular Article 48(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
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 (8) provided for a list to be drawn up of the countries or parts thereof from which Member States are to authorise the importation of certain live animals and fresh meat of certain animals.
(2)
Accordingly, Council Decision 79/542/EEC of 21 December 1976 drawing up a list of third countries or parts of third countries, and laying down animal and public health and veterinary certification conditions, for importation into the Community of certain live animals and their fresh meat (9) was adopted. That Decision establishes the sanitary conditions for the importation into the European Union of live animals excluding equidae, and for the importation of fresh meat of such animals, including equidae, but excluding meat preparations. Annexes I and II to that Decision also set out lists of third countries or parts thereof from which certain live animals and their fresh meat may be imported into the Union as well as models of veterinary certificates.
(3)
Since the date of adoption of that Decision, a number of new animal health and public health requirements have been laid down in other Union acts, constituting a new regulatory framework in this area. Also, Directive 72/462/EEC has been repealed by Directive 2004/68/EC.
(4)
Article 20 of Directive 2004/68/EC states that implementing rules on import established in accordance with Decisions adopted pursuant to Directive 72/462/EEC, inter alia Decision 79/542/EEC, shall remain in force until replaced by measures adopted under the new regulatory framework.
(5)
In accordance with Article 4(3) of Directive 2004/41/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 repealing certain Directives concerning food hygiene and health conditions for the production and placing on the market of certain products of animal origin intended for human consumption and amending Council Directives 89/662/EEC and 92/118/EEC and Council Decision 95/408/EC (10), once the necessary provisions on the basis of Regulations (EC) No 852/2004, (EC) No 853/2004, (EC) No 854/2004 or Directive 2002/99/EC are adopted, the implementing rules adopted on the basis of Directive 72/462/EEC shall cease to apply.
(6)
Decision 79/542/EEC has been amended several times and import provisions based on the new regulatory framework have already been introduced in Decision 79/542/EEC. For the sake of clarity and transparency the measures that are laid down in Decision 79/542/EEC should be laid down in a new legal act. This Regulation includes all the provisions of Decision 79/542/EEC. Consequently, by the entry into force of the present Regulation Decision 79/542/EEC is lapsed and thus no longer applies, pending the explicit repeal of it.
(7)
Directive 92/65/EEC lays down the animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Union of live animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to the animal health requirements laid down in the specific Union acts referred to in Annex F to that Directive. Pursuant to that Directive, those live animals, semen, ova and embryos may be imported into the Union only from a third country which is on a list drawn up in accordance with the procedure referred to in that Directive. In addition, such live animals are to be accompanied by a health certificate corresponding to a specimen drawn up in accordance with the procedure referred to therein.
(8)
Council Directive 96/93/EC of 17 December 1996 on the certification of animals and animal products (11) lays down the rules to be observed in issuing the certificates required by veterinary legislation to prevent misleading or fraudulent certification. It is appropriate to ensure that rules and principles at least equivalent to those laid down in that Directive are applied by the official inspectors or veterinarians of third countries. Certain third countries, which are listed in Annex II to this Regulation, have provided sufficient guarantees as to the existence and implementation of such rules and principles. It is therefore appropriate to authorise the introduction of certain live animals into the Union from those third countries, provided that no further restrictions are required by their specific disease situation.
(9)
Directive 2002/99/EC lays down the animal health rules concerning the introduction into the Union of products of animal origin and products obtained therefrom intended for human consumption. Pursuant to that Directive, lists are to be drawn up of the third countries or regions of third countries from which imports of specified products of animal origin are permitted and those imports are to comply with certain veterinary certification requirements.
(10)
Directive 2004/68/EC lays down the animal health requirements for the importation into and transit through the Union of certain live ungulates. The importation of those live ungulates into and their transit through the Union is authorised only from third countries and territories that appear on a list or lists drawn up in accordance with the procedure referred to in that Directive and those imports are to comply with certain veterinary certification requirements.
(11)
Save the provisions of article 17(2) last subparagraph of Directive 92/65/EEC, live animals, and products of animal origin to which Directives 92/65/EEC, 2002/99/EC and 2004/68/EC apply are to be imported into or transit through the Union only if they are accompanied by a veterinary certificate and comply with the relevant requirements laid down in Union legislation.
(12)
Accordingly, for the implementation of Directives 92/65/EEC, 2002/99/EC and 2004/68/EC, it is appropriate to lay down in this Regulation lists of third countries, territories and parts thereof and the specific import conditions including model veterinary certificates for certain live animals and the fresh meat of certain animals.
(13)
In the interest of consistency of Union legislation, this Regulation should also take into account the public heath requirements laid down in other Union acts and in particular in Regulations (EC) Nos 852/2004, 853/2004 and 854/2004 which lay down rules concerning the hygiene of foodstuffs and food of animal origin and rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption, as well as the requirements of Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996 on measures to monitor certain substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products (12), and of Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (13).
(14)
Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 lays down general rules governing the performance of official controls carried out in the areas of food and feed, animal health and animal welfare. Article 48 thereof empowers the Commission to adopt a list of third countries from which specific products may be imported into the Union. Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 provides specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption, including the establishment of lists of third countries from which imports of products of animal origin are permitted. Those rules provide that those lists may be combined with other lists drawn up for public and animal health purposes.
(15)
The model certificates set out in the Annexes to this Regulation should therefore include attestations certifying that the public health requirements laid down in Directive 96/23/EC and Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, 852/2004, 853/2004 and 854/2004, are fulfilled.
(16)
The model certificates set out in the Annexes to this Regulation should also include attestations certifying that animal welfare requirements laid down in Council Directive 93/119/EC of 22 December 1993 on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter and killing (14) and Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations (15) are fulfilled.
(17)
In order to ensure that the health of live animals introduced into the Union is not jeopardised during their transport from the third country of origin to the Union, certain requirements relating to the transport of live animals should be laid down, including requirements on assembly centres.
(18)
In the interest of ensuring the protection of animal health in the Union, live animals should be conveyed directly to their place of destination in the Union.
(19)
Fresh meat introduced into the Union for transit to another third country poses a negligible risk to public health. Such meat should, however, comply with all the relevant animal health requirements. Accordingly, specific provisions on the transit, and storage before transit, of fresh meat should therefore be laid down.
(20)
Specific conditions for transit via the Union of consignments to and from Russia should be provided for owing to the geographical situation of Kaliningrad which affects only Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
(21)
Consignments of fresh meat, excluding offal and minced meat, of farmed non-domesticated animals of the order Artiodactyla, originating from animals caught in the wild should be authorised for introduction into the Union. In order to rule out any possible animal health risks which could be posed by such introduction, it is appropriate that those animals be separated from wild animals for a period of three months prior to the introduction into the Union of such consignments. Accordingly, the model veterinary certificate for those consignments (RUF) should take that into account.
(22)
Commission Decision 2003/881/EC of 11 December 2003 concerning the animal health and certification conditions for imports of bees (Apis mellifera and Bombus spp.) from certain third countries (16) lays down the animal health and certification conditions for imports of bees from certain third countries. In the interest of simplification of Union legislation, the measures laid down in that Decision should be included in this Regulation. Consequently, Decision 2003/881/EC should be repealed.
(23)
It's appropriate to introduce a transitional period to allow Member States and industry to take the necessary measures to comply with the requirements laid down in this Regulation.
(24)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
CHAPTER I
SUBJECT MATTER, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS
Article 1
Subject matter and scope
1. This Regulation lays down the veterinary certification requirements for the introduction into the Union of consignments containing the following live animals or fresh meat:
(a)
ungulates;
(b)
the animals listed in Part 2 of Annex IV;
(c)
fresh meat intended for human consumption, excluding meat preparations, of ungulates and equidae.
2. This Regulation lays down the lists of third countries, territories or parts thereof from which the consignments referred to in paragraph 1 may be introduced into the Union.
3. This Regulation shall not apply to the introduction into the Union of non-domesticated animals:
(a)
for shows or exhibitions where such live animals are not regularly kept or bred;
(b)
forming part of circuses;
(c)
intended for an approved body, institute or centre as defined in Article 2(1)(c) of Directive 92/65/EEC.
4. This Regulation shall apply without prejudice to any specific certification requirements laid down in other Union acts or in agreements concluded by the Union with third countries.
Article 2
Definitions
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:
(a)
‘ungulates’ means ungulates as defined in Article 2(d) of Directive 2004/68/EC;
(b)
‘fresh meat’ means fresh meat as defined in point 1.10 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004;
(c)
‘equidae’ means equidae as defined in Article 2(b) of Council Directive 90/426/EEC (17);
(d)
‘holding’ means a farm or other officially supervised agricultural, industrial or commercial undertaking, including zoos, amusement parks and wildlife or hunting reserves where live animals are regularly kept or bred.
CHAPTER II
CONDITIONS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF LIVE ANIMALS INTO THE UNION
Article 3
General conditions for the introduction of ungulates into the Union
Consignments of ungulates shall only be introduced into the Union if they comply with the following conditions:
(a)
they come from the third countries, territories or parts thereof listed in columns 1, 2 and 3 of the table set out in Part 1 of Annex I for which there is a model veterinary certificate corresponding to the consignment concerned listed in column 4 of the table in Part 1 of Annex I;
(b)
they are accompanied by the appropriate veterinary certificate, drawn up in accordance with the relevant model veterinary certificate set out in Part 2 of Annex I, taking into account the specific conditions indicated in column 6 of the table in Part 1 of that Annex, and completed and signed by an official veterinarian of the exporting third country;
(c)
they comply with the requirements set out in the veterinary certificate referred to in point (b), including:
(i)
the supplementary guarantees laid down in that certificate, where indicated in column 5 of the table in Part 1 of Annex I;
(ii)
any additional veterinary certification requirements that the Member State of destination may impose in accordance with Union veterinary legislation and which are included in the certificate.
Article 4
Conditions for assembly centres for certain consignments of ungulates
Consignments of ungulates which contain live animals from more than one holding shall only be introduced into the Union if they are assembled in assembly centres approved by the competent authority of the third country of origin in accordance with the requirements set out in Part 5 of Annex I.
Article 5
Protocols for the standardisation of materials and sampling and testing procedures for ungulates
Where sampling and testing is required by the veterinary certificates listed in column 4 of the table in Part 1 of Annex I for the diseases listed in Part 6 of that Annex, for the introduction into the Union of consignments of ungulates, such sampling and testing shall be carried out by or under the control of the competent authority of the third country of origin in accordance with the Protocols for the standardisation of materials and testing procedures set out in Part 6 of that Annex.
Article 6
Special conditions for certain consignments of ungulates imported into St Pierre and Miquelon and introduced into the Union
Consignments of ungulates of the species listed in the table in Part 7 of Annex I which were introduced into St Pierre and Miquelon less than six months prior to the date of shipment from St Pierre and Miquelon to the Union shall only be introduced into the Union if:
(a)
they comply with the residence and quarantine requirements set out in Chapter 1 of that Part;
(b)
they have been tested in accordance with the animal health test requirements set out in Chapter 2 of that Part.
Article 7
General conditions for the introduction into the Union of certain species of bees
1. Consignments of bees of the species listed in table 1 of Part 2 of Annex IV shall only be introduced into the Union from third countries or territories:
(a)
listed in Part 1 of Annex II;
(b)
where the presence of the American foulbrood, the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) and the Tropilaelaps mite (Tropilaelaps spp.) is subject to compulsory notification throughout the whole territory of the third country or territory concerned.
2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1(a), consignments of bees may be introduced into the Union from a part of a third country or territory listed in Part 1 of Annex II which is:
(a)
a geographically and epidemiologically isolated part of the third country or territory
(b)
listed in the third column of the table in Section 1 of Part 1 of Annex IV.
When that derogation is applied, the introduction into the Union of consignments of bees shall be prohibited from all other parts of the third country or territory concerned not listed in the third column of the table in Section 1 of Part 1 of Annex IV.
3. Consignments of bees of the species listed in table 1 of Part 2 of Annex IV shall consist of either:
(a)
cages of queen bees (Apis mellifera and Bombus spp.), each containing one single queen bee with a maximum of 20 accompanying attendants; or
(b)
containers of bumble bees (Bombus spp.), each containing a colony of a maximum of 200 adult bumble bees.
4. Consignments of bees of the species listed in table 1 of Part 2 of Annex IV shall:
(a)
be accompanied by the appropriate veterinary certificate, drawn up in accordance with the relevant model veterinary certificate set out in Part 2 of Annex IV, and completed and signed by an official inspector of the exporting third country;
(b)
comply with the veterinary requirements set out in the veterinary certificate referred to in point (a).
Article 8
General conditions concerning the transport of live animals to the Union
During the period after loading in the third country of origin and before arrival at the border inspection post of introduction into the Union, consignments of live animals shall not be:
(a)
transported together with live animals that:
(i)
are not intended for introduction into the Union; or
(ii)
are of a lower health status;
(b)
unloaded in, or when transported by air, moved to another aircraft, or transported by road, by rail or moved on foot through a third country, territory or a part thereof which is not listed in columns 1, 2 and 3 of the table set out in Part 1 of Annex I or for which there is no model veterinary certificate corresponding to the consignment concerned listed in column 4 of the table in Part 1 of Annex I.
Article 9
Time limit for the period of transport to the Union of live animals
Consignments of live animals shall only be introduced into the Union where the consignment arrives at the border inspection post of introduction into the Union within 10 days of the date of issue of the appropriate veterinary certificate.
In the case of transport by sea, that period of 10 days shall be extended by an additional period corresponding to the duration of the journey by sea, as certified by a signed declaration of the master of the ship, drawn up in accordance with Part 3 of Annex I and attached in its original form to the veterinary certificate.
Article 10
Special conditions regarding the spraying of consignments of live animals transported by air to the Union
Where consignments of live animals, excluding consignments of bees, are transported by air, the crate or container in which they are transported and the surrounding area shall be sprayed with an appropriate insecticide.
That spraying shall be carried out immediately prior to the closing of the aircraft doors after loading, and after any subsequent opening of the doors in a third country, until the aircraft reaches its final destination.
The captain of the aircraft shall certify that the spraying has been carried out by signing a declaration, drawn up in accordance with Part 4 of Annex I and attached in its original form to the veterinary certificate.
Article 11
Conditions to be applied following the introduction into the Union of certain consignments of ungulates
1. Following their introduction into the Union, consignments of ungulates intended for breeding and production, or intended for zoos, amusement parks and wildlife or hunting reserves, shall be conveyed without delay to the holding of destination.
The ungulates shall remain on that holding for a period of at least 30 days, unless they are dispatched directly to a slaughterhouse.
2. Following their introduction into the Union, consignments of ungulates intended for immediate slaughter shall be conveyed without delay to the slaughterhouse of destination where they shall be slaughtered within five working days from the date of arrival at the slaughterhouse.
Article 12
Specific conditions concerning the transit through third countries of certain consignments of ungulates
Where specific condition I of Part 1 of Annex I applies, in order to allow consignments of the ungulates referred to in that condition originating in one Member State and destined for another Member State, to transit through a third country, territory or part thereof which is listed in the table in Part 1 of Annex I but for which there is no corresponding model veterinary certificate for consignments of the ungulates concerned indicated in column 4 of that table, the following conditions shall apply:
(a)
for bovine animals for fattening:
(i)
the holdings of final destination must be designated in advance by the competent authority of the final destination;
(ii)
the live animals comprised in the consignment must not be moved from the holding of final destination unless for immediate slaughter;
(iii)
all movements of live animals into and out of the holding of final destination must be carried out under the control of the competent authority as long as the animals comprising the consignment are kept at the holding.
(b)
for ungulates for immediate slaughter, Article 11(2) shall apply.
Article 13
Conditions to be applied following the introduction into the Union of consignments of bees referred to in Article 7
1. Consignments of queen bees referred to in Article 7(3)(a) shall be conveyed without delay to the designated place of final destination where the hives shall be placed under the control of the competent authority and the queen bees transferred to new cages before being introduced to local colonies.
2. The cages, attendants, and other material that accompanied the queen bees from the third country of origin shall be sent to a laboratory designated by the competent authority for examination for the presence of:
(a)
the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida), their eggs or larvae;
(b)
signs of the Tropilaelaps mite (Tropilaelaps spp.).
After that laboratory examination, the cages, attendants and the material shall be destroyed.
3. Consignments of bumble bees (Bombus spp.) referred to in Article 7(3)(b) shall be conveyed without delay to the designated place of destination.
Those bumble bees may stay in the container in which they were introduced into the Union until the end of the lifespan of the colony.
That container and the material that accompanied the bumble bees from the third country of origin shall be destroyed at the end of the lifespan of the colony at the latest.
CHAPTER III
CONDITIONS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF FRESH MEAT INTO THE UNION
Article 14
General conditions for the importation of fresh meat
Consignments of fresh meat intended for human consumption shall only be imported into the Union if they comply with the following conditions:
(a)
they come from the third countries, territories or parts thereof listed in columns 1, 2 and 3 of the table in Part 1 of Annex II for which there is a model veterinary certificate corresponding to the consignment concerned listed in column 4 of the table in Part 1 of Annex II;
(b)
they are presented at the border inspection post of introduction into the Union accompanied by the appropriate veterinary certificate, drawn up in accordance with the relevant model veterinary certificate set out in Part 2 of Annex II, taking into account the specific conditions indicated in column 6 of the table in Part 1 of that Annex, and completed and signed by an official veterinarian of the exporting third country;
(c)
they comply with the requirements set out in the veterinary certificate referred to in point (b), including:
(i)
the supplementary guarantees laid down in that certificate, where indicated in column 5 of the table in Part 1 of Annex II;
(ii)
any additional veterinary certification requirements that the Member State of destination may impose in accordance with Union veterinary legislation and which are included in the certificate.
Article 15
Conditions to be applied following the importation of unskinned carcases of wild cloven-hoofed game
In accordance with Article 8(2) of Council Directive 97/78/EC (18), consignments of unskinned carcases of wild cloven-hoofed game for human consumption after further processing shall be conveyed without delay to the processing establishment of destination.
Article 16
Transit and storage of fresh meat
The introduction into the Union of consignments of fresh meat not intended for importation into the Union but destined for a third country either by immediate transit or after storage in the Union in accordance with Article 12(4) and Article 13 of Directive 97/78/EC, shall only be authorised if the consignments comply with the following conditions:
(a)
they come from the third countries, territories or parts thereof listed in columns 1, 2 and 3 of the table in Part 1 of Annex II, for which there is a model veterinary certificate corresponding to the consignment concerned listed in column 4 of the table in Part 1 of Annex II;
(b)
they comply with the specific animal health requirements for the consignment concerned, as set out in the relevant model veterinary certificate referred to in point (a);
(c)
they are accompanied by a veterinary certificate, drawn up in accordance with the model veterinary certificate set out in Annex III, and completed and signed by an official veterinarian of the exporting third country;
(d)
they are certified as acceptable for transit, including for storage as appropriate, on the common veterinary entry document referred to in Article 2(1) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 136/2004 (19), signed by the official veterinarian of the border inspection post of introduction into the Union.
Article 17
Derogation for transit through Latvia, Lithuania and Poland
1. By way of derogation from Article 16 the transit by road or by rail through the Union, between the designated border inspection posts in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland listed in Commission Decision 2009/821/EC (20), of consignments coming from and destined to Russia directly or via another third country shall be authorised provided that the following conditions are complied with:
(a)
the consignment is sealed with a serially numbered seal at the border inspection post of introduction into the Union by the veterinary services of the competent authority;
(b)
the documents accompanying the consignment and referred to in Article 7 of Directive 97/78/EC are stamped ‘ONLY FOR TRANSIT TO RUSSIA VIA THE EU’ on each page by the official veterinarian of the competent authority responsible for the border inspection post of introduction into the Union;
(c)
the procedural requirements provided for in Article 11 of Directive 97/78/EC are complied with;
(d)
the consignment is certified as acceptable for transit on the common veterinary entry document signed by the official veterinarian of the border inspection post of introduction into the Union.
2. Unloading or storage, as defined in Article 12(4) or in Article 13 of Directive 97/78/EC, of such consignments on Union territory shall not be allowed.
3. Regular audits shall be made by the competent authority to ensure that the number of consignments and the quantities of products leaving the Union territory matches the number and quantities entering.
CHAPTER IV
GENERAL, TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 18
Certification
The veterinary certificates required by this Regulation shall be completed in accordance with the explanatory notes set out in Annex V.
However, that requirement shall not preclude the use of electronic certification or of other agreed systems, harmonised at Union level.
Article 19
Transitional provisions
For a transitional period until 30 June 2010, consignments of live animals and of fresh meat intended for human consumption in respect of which the relevant veterinary certificates have been issued in accordance with Decisions 79/542/EEC or 2003/881/EC, may continue to be introduced into the Union.
Article 20
Repeal
Decision 2003/881/EC is repealed.
Article 21
Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, March 2010.