EN Official Journal of the European Union L 134/34

COMMISSION DECISION

of 28 February 2006

amending Annex II to Council Decision 79/542/EEC as regards the entries for Brazil, Montenegro and Serbia

(notified under document number C(2006) 579)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/360/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to 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 (1), and in particular the introductory phrase of Article 8, the first paragraph of point (1) of Article 8 and point (4) of Article 8 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Part 1 of Annexes I and II to Council Decision 79/542/EEC of 21 December 1979 drawing up a list of third countries or parts of third countries, and laying down animal and public health and veterinary certification conditions, for importation into the Community of certain live animals and their fresh meat (2) sets out a list of third countries and parts of third countries from which Member States are authorised to import certain live animals and their fresh meat.

(2) Commission Decision 2005/432/EC of 3 June 2005 laying down the animal and public health conditions and model certificates for imports of meat products for human consumption from third countries and repealing Decisions 97/41/EC, 97/221/EC and 97/222/EC (3). That Decision lists the third countries and parts of third countries from which imports of meat products are to be authorised. That Decision also lays down the model public and animal health certificates and rules on treatments required for those products.

(3) Following outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Brazil, Decision 79/542/EEC was amended by Commission Decision 2005/753/EC (4) in order to amend Part I of Annex II to Decision 79/542/EEC and thereby suspended imports of bovine de-boned meat from the States of Mato Grosso do Sul, Parana and Sao Paulo.

(4) In order to ensure clarity, coherence and transparency in the regionalisation provided for in Decision 79/542/EEC concerning fresh meat and in Decision 2005/432/EC concerning meat products it is necessary to amend certain of the regionalisation descriptions and timing restrictions for Brazil.

(5) In addition, Serbia and Montenegro are Republics with their own customs territories which together form a State Union. They should therefore be entered separately on the lists of third countries and parts of third countries from which imports of meat products are authorised.

(6) Decision 79/542/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Part 1 of Annex II to Decision 79/542/EEC is replaced by the text in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 28 February 2006. For the Commission Markos KYPRIANOU Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 18, 23.1.2003, p. 11.

(2) OJ L 146, 14.6.1979, p. 15. Decision as last amended by Commission Decision 2005/753/EC (OJ L 282, 26.10.2005, p. 22).

(3) OJ L 151, 14.6.2005, p. 3.

(4) OJ L 282, 26.10.2005, p. 22.