COMMISSION DECISION

of 21 December 1999

amending Decision 97/296/EC drawing up the list of third countries from which the import of fishery products is authorised for human consumption

(notified under document number C(1999) 4765)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2000/88/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Decision 95/408/EC of 22 of June 1995 on the conditions for drawing up, for an intermin period, provisional lists of third country establishments from which Member States are authorised to import certain products of animal origin, fishery products or live bivalve molluscs(1), as last amended by Decision 98/603/EC(2), and in particular Article 2(2) and Article 7 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Decision 97/296/EC(3), as last amended by Decision 1999/814/EC(4), lists the countries and territories from which importation of fishery products for human consumption is authorised; part I of the Annex lists the names of the countries and territories covered by a specific Decision and part II names those qualifying under Article 2(2) of Decision 95/408/EC;

(2) Commission Decisions 2000/83/EC(5), 2000/86/EC(6), 2000/85/EC(7) and 2000/87/EC(8) set specific import conditions for fishery and aquaculture products originating in Pakistan, China, Latvia and Lithuania, respectively. Pakistan, China, Latvia and Lithuania should therefore be added in part I of the Annex, to the list of countries and territories from which importation of fishery products for human consumption is authorised;

(3) Belarus and Grenada, have provided information that they satisfy the equivalent conditions and are able to guarantee that the fishery products they export to the Community meet the health requirements of Directive 91/493/EEC(9), as last amended by Directive 97/75/EC(10); it is therefore necessary to modify the above list to include those countries and territories in the Part II of the list;

(4) the seriousness of the deficiencies observed during an inspection visit to Bulgaria, the imports of fishery products from this country would not be authorised and, therefore, this country shall be deleted from the list;

(5) the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Annex to the present Decision replaces the Annex to the Decision 97/296/EC.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 21 December 1999.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 243, 11.10.1995, p. 17.

(2) OJ L 289, 28.10.1998, p. 36.

(3) OJ L 122, 14.5.1997, p. 21.

(4) OJ L 315, 9.12.1999, p. 44.

(5) See page 13 of this Official Journal.

(6) See page 26 of this Official Journal.

(7) See page 21 of this Official Journal.

(8) See page 42 of this Official Journal.

(9) OJ L 264, 24.9.1991, p. 15.

(10) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 31.

ANNEX

List of countries and territories from which importation of fishery products in any form intended for human consumption is authorised

I. Countries and territories covered by a specific decision under Council Directive 91/493/EEC

AL- Albania

AR- Argentina

AU- Australia

BD- Bangladesh

BR- Brazil

CA- Canada

CI- Côte d'Ivoire

CL- Chile

CN- China

CO- Colombia

CU- Cuba

EC- Ecuador

EE- Estonia

FK- Falkland Islands

FO- Faeroe Islands

GH- Ghana

GM- Gambia

GT- Guatemala

ID- Indonesia

IN- India

JP- Japan

KR- South Korea

LT- Lithuania

LV- Latvia

MA- Morocco

MG- Madagascar

MR- Mauritania

MU- Mauritius

MV- Maldives

MX- Mexico

MY- Malaysia

NG- Nigeria

NZ- New Zealand

OM- Oman

PA- Panama

PE- Peru

PH- Philippines

PK- Pakistan

RU- Russia

SC- Seychelles

SG- Singapore

SN- Senegal

TH- Thailand

TN- Tunisia

TW- Taiwan

TZ- Tanzania

UY- Uruguay

VN- Vietnam

YE- Yemen

ZA- South Africa

II. Countries and territories meeting the terms of Article 2(2) of Council Decision 95/408/EC

AO- Angola

AG- Antigua and Barbuda(1)

AN- Netherlands Antilles

AZ- Azerbaijan(2)

BJ- Benin

BS- Bahamas

BY- Belarus

BZ- Belize

CH- Switzerland

CM- Cameroon

CR- Costa Rica

CV- Cape Verde

CY- Cyprus

CZ- Czech Republic

DZ- Algeria

ER- Eritrea

FJ- Fiji

GA- Gabon

GD- Grenada

GL- Greenland

GN- Guinea Conakry

HK- Hong Kong

HN- Honduras

HR- Croatia

HU- Hungary(3)

IL- Israel

IR- Iran

JM- Jamaica

KE- Kenya

LK- Sri Lanka

MM- Myanmar

MT- Malta

MZ- Mozambique

NA- Namibia

NC- New Caledonia

NI- Nicaragua

PF- French Polynesia

PG- Papua New Guinea

PL- Poland

PM- Saint Pierre and Miquelon

RO- Romania

SB- Solomon Islands

SH- Saint Helena

SI- Slovenia

SR- Suriname

TG- Togo

TR- Turkey

UG- Uganda

US- United States of America

VC- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

VE- Venezuela

ZW- Zimbabue

(1) Authorised only for imports of fresh fish.

(2) Authorised only for imports of caviar.

(3) Authorised only for import of live animals intended for direct human consumption.