Decision of the EEA Joint Committee

No 66/2003

of 20 June 2003

amending Annex I (Veterinary and phytosanitary matters) to the EEA Agreement

THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, as amended by the Protocol adjusting the Agreement on the European Economic Area, hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement", and in particular Article 98 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Annex I to the Agreement was amended by Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 31/2003 of 14 March 2003(1).

(2) 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(2) is to be incorporated into the Agreement.

(3) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1248/2001 of 22 June 2001 amending Annexes III, X and XI to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards epidemio-surveillance and testing of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies(3) is to be incorporated into the Agreement.

(4) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1326/2001 of 29 June 2001 laying down transitional measures to permit the changeover to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, and amending Annexes VII and XI to that Regulation(4) is to be incorporated into the Agreement.

(5) Commission Regulation (EC) No 270/2002 of 14 February 2002 amending Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards specified risk material and epidemio-surveillance for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and amending Regulation (EC) No 1326/2001 as regards animal feeding and the placing on the market of ovine and caprine animals and products thereof(5) is to be incorporated into the Agreement.

(6) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1494/2002 of 21 August 2002 amending Annexes III, VII and XI to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and the Council as regards monitoring of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, eradication of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, removal of specified risk materials and rules for importation of live animals and products of animal origin(6) is to be incorporated into the Agreement.

(7) Commission Decision 2002/1003/EC of 18 December 2002 laying down minimum requirements for a survey of prion protein genotypes of sheep breeds(7) is to be incorporated into the Agreement.

(8) Commission Regulation (EC) No 260/2003 of 12 February 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the eradication of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in ovine and caprine animals and rules for the trade in live ovine and caprine animals and bovine embryos(8) is to be incorporated into the Agreement.

(9) Regulation (EC) No 1248/2001 repeals Commission Decision 98/272/EC(9), which is incorporated into the Agreement and which is consequently to be deleted from the Agreement.

(10) Regulation (EC) No 1326/2001 repeals Commission Decisions 94/381/EC(10) and 94/474/EC(11), which are incorporated into the Agreement and which are consequently to be deleted from the Agreement.

(11) Regulation (EC) No 260/2003 repeals Commission Decision 92/290/EEC(12), which is incorporated into the Agreement and which is consequently to be deleted from the Agreement.

(12) This Decision is not to apply to Liechtenstein and Iceland,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Chapter I of Annex I to the Agreement shall be amended as follows:

1. The following indent shall be inserted in point 11 (Council Decision 2000/766/EC) in Part 7.1:

"- 32001 R 1326: Commission Regulation (EC) No 1326/2001 of 29 June 2001 (OJ L 177, 30.6.2001, p. 60)."

2. The following shall be inserted after point 11 (Council Decision 2000/766/EC) in Part 7.1:

"TSE control (transmissible spongiform encephalopathies)

12. 32001 R 0999: 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 (OJ L 147, 31.5.2001, p. 1), as amended by:

- 32001 R 1248: Commission Regulation (EC) No 1248/2001 of 22 June 2001 (OJ L 173, 27.6.2001, p. 12),

- 32001 R 1326: Commission Regulation (EC) No 1326/2001 of 29 June 2001 (OJ L 177, 30.6.2001, p. 60),

- 32002 R 0270: Commission Regulation (EC) No 270/2002 of 14 February 2002 (OJ L 45, 15.2.2002, p. 4),

- 32002 R 1494: Commission Regulation (EC) No 1494/2002 of 21 August 2002 (OJ L 225, 22.8.2002, p. 3),

- 32003 R 0260: Commission Regulation (EC) No 260/2003 of 12 February 2003 (OJ L 37, 13.2.2003, p. 7).

The provisions of the Regulation shall, for the purposes of the present Agreement, be read with the following adaptations:

A. In Annex III, Chapter A, Part I, point 2.3 the following shall be inserted after the word 'Sweden':

'and Norway'.

B. In Annex III, Chapter A, Part II, point 2 the following shall be added:

'>TABLE>'.

C. In Annex III, Chapter A, Part II, point 3 the following shall be added:

'>TABLE>'.

D. In Annex X, Chapter A, point 3 shall the following be added:

'>TABLE>'

".

3. The following shall be inserted after point 16 (Commission Decision 2001/9/EC) in Part 7.2:

"17. 32001 R 1326: Commission Regulation (EC) No 1326/2001 of 29 June 2001 laying down transitional measures to permit the changeover to the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EC) No 999/2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, and amending Annexes VII and XI to that Regulation (OJ L 177, 30.6.2001, p. 60), as amended by:

- 32002 R 0270: Commission Regulation (EC) No 270/2002 of 14 February 2002 (OJ L 45, 15.2.2002, p. 4)."

"18. 32002 D 1003: Commission Decision 2002/1003/EC of 18 December 2002 laying down minimum requirements for a survey of prion protein genotypes of sheep breeds (OJ L 349, 24.12.2002, p. 105)."

4. The text of points 7 (Commission Decision 92/290/EEC), 26 (Commission Decision 94/381/EC), 27 (Commission Decision 94/474/EC), and 78 (Commission Decision 98/272/EC) in Part 1.2 shall be deleted.

Article 2

The texts of Regulations (EC) Nos 999/2001, 1248/2001, 1326/2001, 270/2002, 1494/2002 and 260/2003 and Decision 2002/1003/EC in the Norwegian language, to be published in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union, shall be authentic.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on 21 June 2003, provided that all the notifications under Article 103(1) of the Agreement have been made to the EEA Joint Committee(13).

Article 4

This Decision shall be published in the EEA Section of, and in the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 20 June 2003.

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

P. Westerlund

(1) OJ L 137, 5.6.2003, p. 30.

(2) OJ L 147, 31.5.2001, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 173, 27.6.2001, p. 12.

(4) OJ L 177, 30.6.2001, p. 60.

(5) OJ L 45, 15.2.2002, p. 4.

(6) OJ L 225, 22.8.2002, p. 3.

(7) OJ L 349, 24.12.2002, p. 105.

(8) OJ L 37, 13.2.2003, p. 7.

(9) OJ L 122, 24.4.1998, p. 59.

(10) OJ L 172, 7.7.1994, p. 23.

(11) OJ L 194, 29.7.1994, p. 96.

(12) OJ L 152, 4.6.1992, p. 37.

(13) Constitutional requirements indicated.