(2)

Annex II is replaced by the following: ‘ANNEX II MODEL HEALTH CERTIFICATES FOR IMPORTS OF OVA AND EMBRYOS OF ANIMALS OF THE EQUINE SPECIES PART 1 Explanatory notes for the certification (a) The health certificates shall be issued by the competent authority of the exporting third country, in accordance with the models set out in Part 2 of Annex II. If the Member State of destination requires additional certification, attestations to certify that those requirements are fulfilled shall be also incorporated in the original form of the health certificate. (b) The original of the health certificate shall consist of a single sheet of paper, or, where more text is required, it must be in such a form that all sheets of paper required are part of an integrated whole and indivisible. (c) Where the model health certificate states that certain statements shall be kept as appropriate, statements which are not relevant, may be crossed out and initialled and stamped by the certifying officer, or completely deleted from certificate. (d) The health certificate shall be drawn up in at least one of the official languages of the Member State of the border inspection post of introduction of the consignment into the European Union and of the Member State of destination. However, those Member States may authorise the certificate to be drawn up in the official language of another Member State, and accompanied, if necessary, by an official translation. (e) If for the reasons of identification of the items of the consignment (schedule in Box I.28 of the model health certificate), additional sheets of paper are attached to the health certificate, those sheets of paper shall also be considered as forming part of the original of the health certificate by application of the signature and stamp of the certifying officer, on each of the pages. (f) When the health certificate, including additional schedules referred to in (e), comprises more than one page, each page shall be numbered (page number) of (total number of pages), at the end of the page and shall bear the certificate reference number that has been designated by the competent authority on the top of the pages. (g) The original of the health certificate must be completed and signed by an official veterinarian the last working day prior to loading of the consignment for exportation to the European Union. The competent authorities of the exporting third country shall ensure that certification requirements equivalent to those laid down in Council Directive 96/93/EC (1) are followed. The colour of the signature and the stamp of the official veterinarian shall be different to that of the printing on the health certificate. This requirement also applies to stamps other than those embossed or watermarks. (h) The original of the health certificate must accompany the consignment until it reaches the border inspection post of introduction into the European Union. (i) The certificate reference number referred to in Box I.2 and Box II.a of the model health certificate must be issued by the competent authority of the exporting third country. PART 2 Section A MODEL 1 – Model health certificate for imports of consignments of ova and embryos of animals of the equine species collected or produced in accordance with Directive 92/65/EEC after 30 September 2014 and dispatched by an approved embryo collection or production team of origin of the ova or embryos Section B MODEL 2 – Model health certificate for imports of consignments of stocks of ova and embryos of animals of the equine species collected, processed and stored in accordance with Directive 92/65/EEC after 31 August 2010 and before 1 October 2014 and dispatched after 31 August 2010 by an approved embryo collection or production team of origin of the ova or embryos