COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2019/1351

of 19 August 2019

setting up special conditions in respect of imports into and transit through the Union of meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines derived from porcine animals originating in the Republic of Serbia following the occurrence of African swine fever in that country and amending Implementing Decision 2013/426/EU

(notified under document C(2019) 6174)

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries (1), and in particular Article 22(1) and (6) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) African swine fever is a highly contagious and fatal infection affecting domestic pigs and wild boar, with the potential for rapid spread, notably through products obtained from infected animals and contaminated inanimated objects. In the event of an outbreak of African swine fever in a third country, there is a risk that the disease agent might be introduced into the Union through imports of live pigs or their products.

(2) Serbia notified the Commission on 13 August 2019 of the confirmation of an outbreak of African swine fever in Rabrovac (village Sume), Velika Krsna and Kusadak.

(3) In accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 (2) Serbia is not authorised to export to the Union live pigs and fresh pig meat. However, in accordance with Commission Decision 2007/777/EC (3), Member States are to authorise imports into or transit through the Union of meat products, treated stomachs, bladders and intestines of domestic porcine and farmed and wild swine animals. Those products of porcine origin can be imported from Serbia into the Union under the condition that they have undergone the specific treatment ‘D’ in accordance with Article 3 and Part 2 of Annex II to that Decision.

(4) The effectiveness of different treatments against African swine fever is laid down in Annex III to Council Directive 2002/99/EC (4). The heat treatment at a minimum temperature of 70 °C, which must be reached throughout the meat as required by the specific treatment ‘D’ described in Part 4 of Annex II to Decision 2007/777/EC, which requires a minimum temperature of 70 °C that must be reached throughout the meat and/or stomachs, bladders and intestines during the processing of meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines, or for raw ham, a treatment consisting of natural fermentation and maturation of not less than nine months and resulting in an Aw value of not more than 0,93 and a pH value of not more than 6,0, is not considered effective in eliminating the risk related to African swine fever in meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines.

(5) In order to prevent the risk of introduction of African swine fever through imports of meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines derived from porcine animals originating in Serbia, it is necessary to ensure that those products have undergone an effective treatment to inactivate the virus causing this infection.

(6) Therefore, imports into the Union of meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines consisting of or containing pig meat or meat of wild swine originating in Serbia should only be authorised, provided those meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines have undergone at least the specific treatment ‘C’ described in Part 4 of Annex II to Decision 2007/777/EC, which requires a minimum temperature of 80 °C that must be reached throughout the meat and/or stomachs, bladders and intestines during the processing of the meat product and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines. Alternatively, the more severe specific treatment ‘B’ described in that Part 4 could be applied, which requires a treatment in a hermetically sealed container to an F0 value of three or more.

(7) Commission Implementing Decision 2013/426/EU (5) provides that all vehicles which have transported live animals to or in a third country or part of the territory thereof affected by African swine fever and listed in Annex I to that Implementing Decision are to be appropriately cleansed and disinfected after the last unloading and that such cleansing and disinfection is to be properly documented upon entry into Union.

(8) Due to the occurrence of African swine fever in Serbia, it is necessary to add that country to the list of third countries or regions thereof in Annex I to Implementing Decision 2013/426/EU.

(9) Implementing Decision 2013/426/EU applies until 31 December 2019. However, due to the unfavourable African swine fever situation in the countries listed in that Decision, and taking into account the epidemiology of African swine fever and the measures applicable in the Union as regards that disease, it is necessary to prolong its application period until 31 December 2021. Implementing Decision 2013/426/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.

(10) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 Member States shall authorise imports into or transit through the Union of meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines of domestic porcine, farmed cloven-hoofed game (swine) or wild swine originating in the Republic of Serbia, under the condition that (a) such products have undergone the specific treatment ‘C’ or ‘B’ as defined in Part 4 of Annex II to Decision 2007/777/EC; and (b) the Member States ensure that only consignments of such products corresponding to the requirements of the model public and animal health certificate: (i) set out in Annex III to Decision 2007/777/EC are imported into the Union, (ii) set out in Annex IV to that Decision are introduced into the Union and destined for a third country either by transit immediately or following storage, in accordance with article 12(4) or Article 13 of Council Directive 97/78/EC (6), and not intended for importation into the Union, and (c) the relevant certificate accompanies such consignments and attests compliance with the required specific treatment referred to in point (a), is duly completed and signed by the official veterinarian of the third country of dispatch.

Article 2 Implementing Decision 2013/426/EU is amended as follows: (1) Article 4a is replaced by the following: ‘Article 4a This Decision shall apply until 31 December 2021.’; (2) in Annex I, the word ‘Serbia’ is inserted after the word ‘Russia’.

Article 3 This Decision shall apply until 31 December 2021.

Article 4 This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 19 August 2019. For the Commission Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 9.

(2) Commission Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 of 12 March 2010 laying down lists of third countries, territories or parts thereof authorised for the introduction into the European Union of certain animals and fresh meat and the veterinary certification requirements (OJ L 73, 20.3.2010, p. 1).

(3) Commission Decision 2007/777/EC of 29 November 2007 laying down the animal and public health conditions and model certificates for imports of certain meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines for human consumption from third countries and repealing Decision 2005/432/EC (OJ L 312, 30.11.2007, p. 49).

(4) Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16 December 2002 laying down the animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption (OJ L 18, 23.1.2003, p. 11).

(5) Commission Implementing Decision 2013/426/EU of 5 August 2013 on measures to prevent the introduction into the Union of the African swine fever virus from certain third countries or parts of the territory of third countries in which the presence of that disease is confirmed and repealing Decision 2011/78/EU (OJ L 211, 7.8.2013, p. 5).

(6) Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries (OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 9).