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"B COMMISSION DECISION
of 29 May 1998
concerning the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of fresh meat from certain
European countries
(notified under document number C(1998) 1445)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(98/371/EC)
(OJ L 170, 16.6.1998, p. 16)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
"M1 Commission Decision 98/546/EC of 22 July 1998 L 260 15 23.9.1998
"M2 Commission Decision 1999/538/EC of 26 July 1999 L 207 21 6.8.1999
"M3 Commission Decision 2000/19/EC of 9 December 1999 L 6 58 11.1.20001998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 1
COMMISSION DECISION
of 29 May 1998
concerning the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for
imports of fresh meat from certain European countries
(notified under document number C(1998) 1445)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(98/371/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972 on
health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine, ovineand caprine animals and swine, fresh meat or meat products from third
countries (
1), as last amended by Directive 97/79/EC (2), and in particular
Articles 14, 15 and 16,
Whereas the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports
of fresh meat from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Hungary,
Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovak
Republic and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were established byCommission Decisions 81/547/EEC (
3), 82/8/EEC (4), 82/9/EEC (5),
82/132/EEC (6), 92/222/EEC (7), 92/377/EEC (8), 92/390/EEC (9),
94/845/EC (10), 94/846/EC (11) and 97/737/EC (12);
Whereas the imports of fresh meat from Albania are not authorised by
Commission Decision 89/197/EEC (13);
Whereas the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports
of fresh meat from Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,and Russia have not yet been established; whereas it is therefore necessary to
determine the products to be authorised and the health guarantees to be
requested;
Whereas, with a view to the internal market, numerous health measures have
been established in the framework of trade inside the Community; whereas
the realisation of this objective necessitates, in parallel, an adaptation of the
health conditions required for importation of fresh meat from third countriesparticularly from certain European countries;
Whereas this adaptation must take into account the different epidemiological
situations in the European countries concerned, and indeed in the differentparts of their territories; whereas, given the existence of identical healthsituations between the various parts of those different countries, it is necessary
to take account of this fact in establishing a new system of health guarantees;
Whereas, as a result, it is appropriate to establish different health certificates
in accordance with the conditions required for the importation of fresh meat
from those different categories of countries or parts of countries;
Whereas, in order to clarify and simplify the Community legislation it is
necessary to group together the health conditions required for imports of freshmeat from the European countries concerned and to repeal the decisions in
force for those countries;!B
(1) OJ L 302, 31. 12. 1972, p. 28.
(2) OJ L 24, 30. 1. 1998, p. 31.
(3) OJ L 206, 27. 7. 1981, p. 15.
(4) OJ L 8, 13. 1. 1982, p. 9.
(5) OJ L 8, 13. 1. 1982, p. 15.
(6) OJ L 60, 3. 3. 1982, p. 16.
(7) OJ L 108, 25. 4. 1992, p. 38.
(8) OJ L 197, 16. 7. 1992, p. 75.
(9) OJ L 207, 23. 7. 1992, p. 53.
(10) OJ L 352, 31. 12. 1994, p. 38.
(11) OJ L 352, 31. 12. 1994, p. 48.
(12) OJ L 295, 29. 10. 1997, p. 39.
(13) OJ L 73, 17. 3. 1989, p. 53.1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 2
Whereas, in addition, the responsible veterinary authorities of the concerned
countries must confirm that their countries or regions have for at least 12months been free from rinderpest, foot-and-mouth disease, African swinefever, classical swine fever, swine vesicular disease, porcine enteroviral
encephalomyelitis (Teschen disease);
Whereas the responsible authorities of the concerned countries must
undertake to notify the Commission and the Member States within 24 hours,by fax, telex or telegram of the confirmation of the occurrence of any of the
abovementioned diseases or an alteration in the vaccination policy against
them; whereas certain authorities have also undertaken to notify theCommission periodically with updated information on monitoring and
diseases control plans for the abovementioned diseases, in particular classical
swine fever;
Whereas other health conditions must be established for meat not intended for
human consumption in accordance with the provisions of Directive
92/118/EEC (
1) and Commission Decision 89/18/EEC (2), concerning import-
ation from third countries of fresh meat for purposes other than humanconsumption;
Whereas animal health conditions and veterinary certification must be
adapted according to the animal health situation of the third country
concerned;
Whereas Council Directive 96/93/EC (
3) lays down standards of certification
which are necessary for valid certification and to prevent fraud; whereas it is
appropriate to ensure that the rules and principles applied by third-country
certifying officers provide guarantees which are at least equivalent to thoselaid down in this Directive;
Whereas Council Directive 93/119/EC (
4) requires that the veterinary health
certificate accompanying meat to be imported from third countries to the
European Community must be supplemented by an attestation certifying thatthe animals have been slaughtered under conditions which offer guarantees ofhumane treatment at least equivalent to the relevant provisions in the
Directive;
Whereas considering that a new certification regime is hereby established, a
period of time should be provided for its implementation;
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
For the purposes of this Decision the following definition shall be used:
‘Fresh meat’: as defined in Article 2(b) of Council Directive 64/433/EEC (
5).
Article 2
1. Member States shall authorise the importation of the categories of fresh
meat set out in Annex II and coming from the territories laid down in Annex I,if they comply with the guarantees laid down in the health certificate, drawn
up in conformity with Annex III.
2. Member States shall authorise the introduction onto their territory of
fresh meat from the country of origin subject to the supplementary guaranteesrequired in Annex II and described in Annex IV . These supplementary
guarantees must be provided by the exporting country in section V of each
model of certificate laid down in Annex III.
3. In the case of imports of fresh meat described in Article 1 and intended
for purposes other than human consumption, Member States shall ensure that
the following requirements are complied with:
— the conditions set out in paragraph 1,!B
(1) OJ L 62, 15. 3. 1993, p. 49.
(2) OJ L 8, 11. 1. 1989, p. 17.
(3) OJ L 13, 16. 1. 1997, p. 28.
(4) OJ L 340, 31. 12. 1993, p. 21.
(5) OJ 121, 29. 7. 1964, p. 2012/64.1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 3
— the conditions established by Directive 92/118/EEC,
— the conditions established by Decision 89/18/EEC.
Article 3
This Decision will be reassessed as required by the changing animal health
situation in the Community and in the concerned European countries from
which the imports are permitted.
Article 4
This Decision shall come into effect from 15 June 1998.
Article 5
1. Commission Decisions 81/547/EEC, 82/8/EEC, 82/9/EEC, 82/132/EEC,
92/222/EEC, 92/377/EEC, 92/390/EEC, 94/845/EC, 94/846/EC and
97/737/EC are repealed on the date mentioned in Article 4.
2. Member States shall authorise the importation of fresh meat produced
and certified according to the requirements of Commission Decisions82/8/EEC, 82/9/EEC, 82/132/EEC, 92/222/EEC, 92/377/EEC, 92/390/EEC,94/845/EC and 94/846/EC during the 15 days following the date mentioned in
paragraph 1.
Article 6
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 4
!M2
ANNEX I
Description of territories of certain European countries established for animal health certification purposes
CountryCode of terri-
toryVersion Description of territory
Albania AL 1/98 Whole country
Bosnia-Herzegovina BA 1/98 Whole countryBulgaria BG 1/98 Whole country
BG-1 1/98 The provinces of Varna, Dobrich, Solistra, Choumen, Targovichte, Razgrad, Rousse, V . Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Pleven, Lovetch, Plovdiv,
Smolian, Pasardijk, Sofia district, Sofia city, Pernik, Kustendil, Blagoevgrad, Vratza, Montana and Vidin
BG-2 1/99 The provinces of Bourgas, Jambol, Sliven, Starazagora, Hasskovo and Kardjali, except the 20-km-wide corridor on the border with
Turkey
BG-3 1/99 The 20-km-wide corridor to the border Turkey
Belarus BY 1/98 Whole countryCzech Republic CZ 1/98 Whole country
CZ-1 1/99 Whole country excluding the provinces of Krome ˇrˇízˇ, Vyškov, Hodonín, Uherské Hradište ˇ, Zlin and Vsetín
CZ-2 1/99 The provinces of Krome ˇrˇízˇ, Vyškov, Hodonín, Uherské Hradište ˇ, Zlin and Vsetín
Estonia EE 1/98 Whole countryFederal Republic of Yugoslavia YU 1/98 Whole country
YU-1 1/98 The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia excluding the region of Kosovo and Metohija
YU-2 1/98 The region of Kosovo and Metohija
Croatia HR 1/98 Whole countryHungary HU 1/98 Whole countryLithuania LT 1/98 Whole countryLatvia L V 1/98 Whole countryFormer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 807 1/98 Whole countryPoland PL 1/98 Whole country1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 5
!M2
CountryCode of terri-
toryVersion Description of territory
Romania RO 1/98 Whole country
Russia RU 1/98 Whole country
Slovenia SI 1/98 Whole country
Slovak Republic SK 1/98 Whole country1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 6
ANNEX II
MODELS OF ANIMAL HEALTH CERTIFICATES TO BE REQUESTED — FRESH MEAT
Country CodeFresh meat for human consumption
Fresh meat in-
tended for pur-
poses other than
human consump-
tionBovine Swine Ovine/caprine Solipeds
MC (1)S G (2)M C (1)S G (2)M C (1)S G (2)M C (1)S G (2)
ALBANIA AL — — — — — —
BOSNIA-
HERZEGOVINA (3)B A ———— — —
BULGARIA BG — — — D — E
BG-1 A — C D — EBG-2 A — C D — EBG-3 — — — D — E
BELARUS BY — — — — — E
CZECH REPUBLIC CZ A B C D — E
CZ-1 A B C D — ECZ-2 A B C D — E
ESTONIA (
3) E E ———— — E
FEDERAL REPUBLIC
OF YUGOSLA VIAY U ——— D — E
YU-1 A — C D — EYU-2 — — — D — E
CROATIA HR A — C D — EHUNGAR Y HU A B C D — E
LITHUANIA (
3) L I ———— — E
LATVIA (3) L V ———— — E
FORMER YUGOSLA V
REPUBLIC OFMACEDONIA807 — — C D — E
POLAND PL A — C D — E
ROMANIA RO A — C D — ERUSSIA (
3) R U ———— — E
SLOV ANIA SI A — C D — E
SLOV AK REPUBLIC SK A — C D — E
(1)MC: model of certificate to be completed. The letters (A, B, C, D, etc.), appearing in the tables refer to the models of animal health guarantees
as described in Annex III of Decision 98/371/EC, to be applied for each product and origin in accordance with Article 2 of this Decision. A
dash ‘—’ indicates that imports are not authorised.
(2)SG: supplementary guarantees. The letters (A, B, C, D, etc.) appearing in the tables refer to the supplementary guarantees to be provided by
the exporting country as described in Annex IV . These supplementary guarantees must be inserted by the exporting country in section V of
each model of certificate set down in Annex III.
(3)The imports of fresh meat for human consumption are not allowed in so far as a programme of control of residues in the exporting thirdcountry has not been approved by the European Commission.!M31998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 7
ANNEX III
!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 8
!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 9
!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 10
!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 11
!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 12
!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 13
!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 14
!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 15
!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 16
!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 17
ANNEX IV
SUPPLEMENTARY GUARANTEES TO BE PROVIDED BY EXPORTING
TERRITORY WHEN REQUIRED IN ANNEX II IN APPLICATION OF
ARTICLE 2(2)!B1998D0371 — EN — 10.12.1999 — 003.001 — 18