COMMISSION DECISION

of 26 March 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)768)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(1999/244/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 June 1995 on the conditions for drawing up, for an interim 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,

(1) Whereas Commission Decision 97/296/EC(3), as last amended by Decision 1999/136/EC(4), lists the countries and territories from which importation of fishery products for human consumption is authorised. Part I of the Annex I 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. Annex II lists the names of the countries and territories from which importation were authorised until the 31 January 1999, on the conditions of Article 11(7) of Directive 91/493/EEC;

(2) Whereas Commission Decision 1999/245/EC(5), set specific import conditions for fishery and aquaculture products originating in the Seychelles. Whereas the Seychelles should therefore be added to Part I of the list of Annex I of countries and territories from which importation of fishery products for human consumption is authorised;

(3) Whereas French Polynesia, Gabon and Saint Pierre et Miquelon, 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 the Directive 91/493/EEC, it is therefore necessary to modify the above list to include those countries and territories in the Part II of the list;

(4) Whereas the seriousness of the deficiencies observed during an inspection visit to Kazakhstan the imports of caviar would not be authorised and, therefore, this country shall be deleted from the Part II of the list;

(5) Whereas the imports from third countries listed in the Annex II are no longer authorised, since 1 February 1999;

(6) Whereas 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 of the present Decision replaces the Annex I and the Annex II to Decision 97/296/EC.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 26 March 1999.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

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 44, 18.2.1999, p. 61.

(5) See page 40 of this Official Journal.

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/EC

AL- Albania

AR- Argentina

AU- Australia

BD- Bangladesh

BR- Brazil

CA- Canada

CI- Côte d'Ivoire

CL- Chile

CO- Colombia

CU- Cuba

EC- Ecuador

EE- Estonia

FK- Falkland Islands

FO- Faroes

GH- Ghana

GM- Gambia

GT- Guatemala

ID- Indonesia

IN- India

JP- Japan

KR- South Korea

MA- Morocco

MG- Madagascar

MR- Mauritania

MV- Maldives

MX- Mexico

MY- Malaysia

NG- Nigeria

NZ- New Zealand

PE- Peru

PH- Philippines

RU- Russia

SC- Seychelles

SG- Singapore

SN- Senegal

TH- Thailand

TN- Tunisia

TW- Taiwan

TZ- Tanzania

UY- Uruguay

ZA- South Africa

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

AG- Antigua and Barbuda (1)

AN- Netherlands Antilles

AO- Angola

AZ- Azerbaijan (2)

BJ- Benin

BS- Bahamas

BZ- Belize

CH- Switzerland

CM- Cameroun

CN- China

CR- Costa Rica

CV- Cape Verde

CY- Cyprus

CZ- Czech Republic

DZ- Algeria

ER- Eritrea

FJ- Fiji

GA- Gabon

GL- Greenland

GN- Guinea Conakri

HK- Hong Kong

HN- Honduras

HR- Croatia

HU- Hungary (3)

IL- Israel

IR- Iran

JM- Jamaica

KE- Kenya

LK- Sri Lanka

LT- Lithuania

LV- Latvia

MM- Myanmar

MT- Malta

MU- Mauritius

MZ- Mozambique

NA- Namibia

NI- Nicaragua

PA- Panama

PF- French Polynesia

PG- Papua New Guinea

PK- Pakistan

PL- Poland

PM- St Pierre and Miquelon

RO- Romania

SB- Solomon Island

SH- St Helena

SI- Slovenia

SR- Suriname

TG- Togo

TR- Turkey

UG- Uganda

US- United States of America

VC- St Vincent and Grenadines (1)

VE- Venezuela

VN- Vietnam

ZW- Zimbabwe

(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 human consumption.