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►B COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of25July1977
onpure-bredbreedinganimalsofthebovinespecies
(77/504/EEC)
(OJ L 206, 12.8.1977, p. 8)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Council Directive 79/268/EEC of 5 March 1979 L 62 5 13.3.1979
►M2Council Regulation (EEC) No 3768/85 of 20 December 1985 L 362 8 31.12.1985
►M3Council Directive 85/586/EEC of 20 December 1985 L 372 44 31.12.1985
►M4Council Directive 91/174/EEC of 25 March 1991 L 85 37 5.4.1991
►M5Council Directive 94/28/EC of 23 June 1994 L 178 66 12.7.1994
►M6Council Regulation (EC) No 807/2003 of 14 April 2003 L 122 36 16.5.2003
Amended by:
►A1Act of Accessionof Greece L 291 17 19.11.1979
►A2Act of Accession of Austria, Sweden and Finland C241 21 29.8.1994
(adapted by Council Decision 95/1/EC, Euratom, ECSC) L 1 1 1.1.1995
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COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of25July1977
onpure-bredbreedinganimalsofthebovinespecies
(77/504/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community, and in particular Articles 43 and 100 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee (2),
Whereas cattle productionoccupies a very importan t place inCommu-
nity agriculture, and satisfactory results depend to a large extent on the
use of purebred breeding animals;
Whereas most Member States have hitherto endeavoured, as part of
their national breeding policies, to promote the production of livestock
of a limited number of breeds meeting specific zootechnic standards;whereas the breeds and standards vary from one Member State toanother; whereas these disparities hinder intra-Community trade;
Whereas, if these disparities are to be removed, thereby increasing agri-
cultural productivity in this sector, intra-Community trade in all pure-bred breeding animals must be progressively liberalized; whereascomplete liberalization of trade requires a later additional harmoniza-
tion particularly regarding approval for breeding;
Whereas it must be possible for the Member States to insist on pedi-
gree certificates drawn up in accordance with a Community procedure
being presented;
Whereas implementing measures in certain technical areas should be
taken; whereas, for the adoption of such measures, a procedure should
be provided for establishing close cooperation between Member Statesand the Commission within the Standing Committee on Zootechnics;whereas, until the adoption of those implementing measures, the provi-sions which are at present in force in the areas in question must remain
unchanged;
Whereas it must be ensured that importation of pure-bred breeding
animals of the bovine species from non-member countries cannot be
carried out on conditions which are less severe than those applied
withinthe Commun ity,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
For the purposes of this Directive the following definitions shall apply:
(a) pure-bred breeding animal of the bovine species ►M4including
buffalo◄: any bovine animal the parents and grandparents of
which are entered or registered in a herd-book of the same breed,and which is itself either entered or registered and eligible for entry
insuch a herd-book;
(b) herd-book: any book, register, file or data medium
— which is maintained by a breeders' organization or association
officially recognized by a Member State in which the breeders'1977L0504 — EN — 05.06.2003 — 008.001 — 2
(1) OJ No C 76, 3. 7. 1974, p. 52.
(2) OJ No C 116, 30. 9. 1974, p. 33.▼A1
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organization or association was constituted, or by an official
department of the Member State concerned, and
— in which pure-bred breeding animals of a given breed of the
bovine species are entered or registered with mention of their
ancestors.
Article 2
The Member States shall ensure that the following shall not be prohib-
ited, restricted or impeded on zootechnical grounds:
— intra-Community trade in pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine
species,
— intra-Community trade in the semen, ►M5ova and embryos ◄of
pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine species,
— the establishment of herd-books, provided that they comply with the
requirements laid down pursuant to Article 6,
— the recognition of organizations or associations which maintain
herd-books, in accordance with Article 6, and
— subject to Article 3, intra-Community trade in bulls used for artifi-
cial insemination.
However, Portugal is hereby authorized to maintain, until 31 December
1990 at the latest, import restrictions for bovine animals, as described
in the first indent of the previous paragraph, where the breeds
concerned do not appear on the list of breeds authorized in Portugal.Portugal shall notify the Commission and the Member States of thelist of authorized breeds.
Article 3
The Council, acting on a proposal from the Commission, shall, before
1 July 1980, adopt Community provisions for the approval of pure-bred
breeding animals of the bovine species for breeding.
Until the entry into force of such provisions, approval of pure-bred
breeding animals of the bovine species for breeding and approval of
bulls to be used for artificial insemination as well as the use of semen,
►
M5ova and embryos ◄shall remain subject to national law, on the
understanding that that law may not be more restrictive than thatapplicable to pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine species, semen,►
M5ova and embryos ◄in the Member State of destination.
Article 4
Breeders' organizations or associations officially recognized by a
Member State may not oppose the entry in their herd-books of pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine species from other Member States
provided that they satisfy the requirements laid down in accordance
with Article 6.
Article 5
Member States may require that pure-bred breeding animals of the
bovine species and the semen or ►
M5ova and embryos ◄from
such animals shall be accompanied, in intra-Community trade, by apedigree certificate which complies with a specimendrawnup inaccordance with the procedure laid down in Article 8, particularlywith regard to zootechnical performance.
Article 6
1. The following shall be determined in accordance with the proce-
dure laid downinArticle 8:
— performance monitoring methods and methods for assessing cattle's
genetic value,1977L0504 — EN — 05.06.2003 — 008.001 — 3
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— the criteria governing the recognition of breeders' organizations and
associations,
— the criteria governing the establishment of herd-books,— the criteria governing entry in herd-books,— the particulars to be shownonthe pedigree certificate.
2. Until the entry into force of the provisions provided for in the
first, second and third indents of paragraph 1:
(a) the official checks referred to in the first indent of paragraph 1
carried out in each Member State and the herd-books in existenceat present shall be recognized by the other Member States;
(b) the recognition of breeders' organizations and associations shall
continue to be governed by the rules at present in force in eachMember State;
(c) the introduction of new herd-books shall continue to meet the
conditions at present in force in each Member State.
Article 7
Until the implementation of Community rules on the subject, the condi-
tions applicable to imports of pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine
species from non-member countries must not be more favourable thanthose governing intra-Community trade.
Member States shall not authorize the import of pure-bred breeding
animals of the bovine species from non-member countries unless theyare accompanied by a pedigree certificate certifying that they are
entered or registered in a herd-book in the exporting non-member
country. Proof must be provided that the animals are either entered orregistered and eligible for entry in a herd-book in the Community.
Article 8
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Standing Committee on
Zootechnics instituted by Decision 77/505/EEC (
1).
2. Where reference is made to this Article, Articles 5 and 7 of Deci-
sion1999/468/EC (2) shall apply.
The period laid downinArticle 5(6) of Decision1999/468/EC shall be
set at three months.
3. The committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.
Article 9
The Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions necessary to:
(a) comply with this Directive, with the exceptionof Article 7, by 1
January 1979 at the latest;
(b) comply with Article 7, as regards each of the points which it
covers, onthe same dates as those onwhich they comply with the
corresponding provisions applicable in intra-Community trade, andin particular the decisions that are successively adopted pursuant toArticle 6.
They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.
Article 10
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.1977L0504 — EN — 05.06.2003 — 008.001 — 4
(1) OJ L 206, 12.8.1977, p. 11.
(2) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.▼M6
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