ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
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COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(74)1204
Vol.1974/0192

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROEBANGOMMUNITIES
COM(74)1204final
Brussels.25July1974
»Proposaifora
COUNCILDECISION
drawingupalistofthecountriesfromwhich
theMemberStatesauthoriseimportationofbovineanimals,
swineandfreshméat
(submittedtotheCouncil "bytheCommission)
COM(74)1204final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TOTHE COUNCIL
I.Under Article 3(l)oftheCouncil Directive of12December 1972 ,the
Council must prepare ,onaproposal from theCommission ,alist ofthe
countries orparts ofcountries from which Member States authorize the
importation ofbovine animals andswine andfresh meat (bovine animals ,
swine ,sheep andgoats anddomestic solipeds )orofoneorseveral of
these categories ofanimals andproducts ,account being taken ofthe
healih situation inthese countries orparts ofcountries .
Atpresent ,theanimals andmeat referred toabove aresubject torules
which govern only intra-Community trade .Imports from third countries
aretherefore effected under conditions which still form part ofnational
provisions ,although these arenotnecessarily more favourable than those
governing intra^-Community trade .
Invarious Working Parties ,theCommission hasexamined thecase ofeach
ofthose third countries which ucugtlly export toone orseveral Member
States .Itwasclearly evident ,oncompletion ofthis work ,that ,although
sone third countries hadnoparticular problems ,many others would have
toovercome anumber ofdifficulties .These difficulties arise from two
main sources ;
-theimportation ofanimals andfresh meat issubject todifferent
corditions inMember States with differing health situations ;
-each Member State has ,traditionally ,certain particular sources of
supply ,orsources which itdoes not share with alltheother Member
States.
1. i-of -ard thefirst source ofdifficulties ,itshould bepointed out
that Denmark ,theUnited Kingdom andIreland obtained ,through theTreaty
ofAccession andalso through theCouncil Directive of12December .1972
cnhealth problems affecting intra-Community trade infresh neat (OJL302 ,31
Decembre 72,p24),certain derogations allbwing' themtoretain ,forintra-Commun^t
•••/•••
Council Directive of12December 1972 onhealth andveterinary inspection
problems upon importation ofbovine animals andswine andfresh meat from
third countries (OJNoL302 ,31December 1972 ,p28).

tradeandwithincertainlimits,theirnational .lawsrelatingtothe
importationofanimalsand.protectionagainstswinefeversjadfoot-and-
"mouthdisease*Itisevidentthatthespecialarrangements grantedto
thethrfeenewMemberStatesforaspecificperiodshouldheextendedfor
thesameperiodunderthearrangements governingimportsfromthird
countries.Onlywhenuniformtradeconditionshave"beenlaiddownin
theCommunitywillitbepossibletoapplyuniformconditionstoimports
intotheCommunity.2hisis,furthermore,whatismeant "byArticle33
(2)ofthe"thirdcountries' *Directive,
Inthemeantime,thenewMemberStatesarejustifiedindemanding,for
theseimports,safeguardsrelatedtothederogationsgrantedtothem.
AlthoughsomethirdcountriesareapprovedbyalltheStatesofthe
Community,other'sareapprovedbyonlycertainMemberStates.Ithas
alsobeennotedthatinsomeinstances,althoughseveralMemberStates
importfromthesemethirdcountry,itisnotalwaysthesameproducts
whichareimported(e.g.oneMemberStateacceptsanimalsendmeatwithout
restrictions janotherlimitsimportstomeat}athirdimportsonlyboned
meat,etc.).Likewise,inathirdcountrycertainpremises(slaughter­
houses,cuttingplantsandcoldstores)maybeapprovedbyoneMember
Statebutnotbytheothers.Itispossible,finally,thattheentire
territoryofacountrymaybeapprovedinoneinstanceandonlyaclearly
definedgeographical ,areainanother... '
•.É••••' ' ' • '*•
Itis-clearthattheMemberStatesorenotproperlyco-ordinatedintheir
attitudetowards©.number*ofthirdcountries.Attentionshouldbedrawn,
tothisfact,butitshouldnotberegardedasasignoffar-reaching
differences }instead,itshouldberecognisedthattheMemberStates
havestronglydifferingconceptionsofwhatismeantbyequivalence
betweentheconditionsapplicabletoimportsontheonehandendthe
conditionsapplicabletointra-Community tradeontheother.Ifathird
countrycanexportoertainproductstoaparticularMemberState,itis
becausethisMemberStateconsidersthatithashealthsafeguardsat

-3-
leastequivalenttothoselaiddownintheCouncilDirectivesformtra^
Communitytrade.Ifthisisso,andtheCommissionhasnoreasonto
doubtit,thethirdcountryunderconsideration shouldalsobeableto
exportunderthesameconditionstotheotherMemberStates,The
reasonforthedifferences whichdividethecountriesoftheCommunity
inthiswayliesinthefactthat,forvariousmotives,eachofthem
hasestablished relationswithcertainthirdcountries onabasisof
mutualrequirements andofwhatwaspossible.Althoughtheparties
acsocic/tedinthiswayaresometimesdifferent,theCommissionsees
noreason,ongroundsofhealth,fordoubtingthattheconditionsof
theirtradeareequivalent,
IITheaimofthe"thia?d ^countries"Directiveistoharmoniseallthosenational
lrtwswhichonahealthbasis'ktpresentgovern,importsfromthirdcountriesby
adoptingCommunityarrangements intheirsteal,Thisharmonisation
shouldbecompletedfollowingaseriesofCouncilorCommissionacts
adoptedpursuanttotheDirectiveof12December1972;themost
importantoftheseis,withoutquestion,thelistwhichformsthe
subject,oftheattachedproposal,
1,Thecriteriawhichshouldbetakenintoaccountinestablishing this
listaregiveninArticle3oftheDirective }toensurethattheyhave
beenobserved,theCommissionhasinvitedtheMemberStatestoforward
alltheinformationattheirdisposal^.Incertaincasesthisinformation
shouldundoubtedly beexpandedorupdated,someofitbeingseveral
yearsold.Mentionshouldbemadeinthiscontextoftheimportance
ofthecriteriarelatingtothespeedandregularity ,withwhichthird
countriesmustagreetosupplyinformation onthepresenceintheir
territoryofcontagiousanimaldiseases,...Itcannotbesaidtha,tthis
requirementisfullyobservedatpresent,sincetheinformationis
oftennotreceivedforseveralweeksorseveralmonthsjnoristhe
^ThisinformationwascommunicatedtotheCommissionattheendofApril1974,

-4-
Commissionfullyinformedonwhatis"beingdoneinthecampaignagainst
contagiousdiseasesinellnon-membercountries.
Thesereasonsdonotappearsufficient,however,forexcludinganyof
thethirdcountriesfromthelist,Theintroduction ofCommunity
importarrangementsconstitutes sinentirelynewinstrumentwhich,owing
toitscomplexity,requiresa.periodofadjustmentinordertofunction
properly.Itisthereforeimpossibletodecidesuddenlythatagiven
countrymaynolongerexporttotheCommunitysimplybecauseitcannot
complyfullywithprovisionsofwhichithasonlyjustbeeninformed.
Parmoreimportantisthatsuchacountryshouldbeinapositionto
complyinthefuture,whenthedirectiveisactuallyapplied,butit
mustbeclearthat,effectivecomplianceisobligatory }intheevent
ofnon-compliance ,thiscountryshouldnotbeputonthelistor,if
alreadythere,itshouldbedeleted.Thiswouldhappenifthiscountry
didnotgiveaveryfirmundertakingtosupplyregularinformation on
itshealthsituation.TheCommissiondrawstheCouncil'sattentionto
thefactthatitiscontinuingtogatheralltheinformationitcan
findtosupplementtheinformationithasalreadyobtained.Tothis
end,ithasestablishedcontactwithsomethirdcountrieswhich,atthe
presenttime,havenotyetansweredtherequestsforinformation.If,
fromthisinformation,itappearedthatacountrynamedintheattached
draftwasnotable,ordidnotrecognisetheneed,tocomplywith
Article3oftheDirectiveof12December1972,theCommissionwould
informtheCouncilimmediately.
Thislineofaction,whichisevidenceofthewilltoopenuptothird
countries,isbased,intheCommission'sopinion,uponfactorswhich
provehowwellitisjustified.
•••/•«•

SofareachMemberStatehasdecidedforitself,uponitssourcesof
supply(whichwerenotalwaysthesameasthosechosenbyitsfellow
Members),anditmustbeclearthatitdidsoonternswhichwouldsafe­
guardthehealthofhumanbeingsandanimalsagainstanyriskwhich
mightendangerthem.ThisissonotonlybecausethisStateisnaturally
anxioustoprotectitselffromthedangerswhichcoulddirectlythreaten
itandwhichwouldbetheresultofauthorisingimportswithoutsufficient
caro,butalsobecauseanoutbreakofepizooticdiseaseinthiscountry
couldtriggeroffadefencemechanismintheotherMemberStates,a
mechanismwhichwouldprobablyleadtotheclosingoffrontiers;
itwouldthereforebeaffectedbothonitsownterritoryandinits
traderelationswithothercountries.
TheCommissioniscertainthatalltheMemberStateshave,sometimes
bydifferentmeans,pursuedthesameaim,namelythe'avoidanceof
suchrisks.
Thebestproofofthis-isthefactthat,inrecentyearsthehealth
situationintheCommunityhasnotbeenendangeredbyimportsfrom
thirdcountries-inotherwordsthesourcesofsupply,although
different,havebeenchosenwithsufficientcare.Italsoproves
thatthehealthinspections arecarriedoutwith,therequired ...
vigilancebothinthethirdcountriesandwhentheimports -reach
Communityterritory"'".
ForthisreasontheCommission,asitseesnoreasonforexcluding
thisorthatcountry,isproposingtotheCouncilthatallthird •
countrieswhichatpresentexporttooneormoreMemberStatesshould,
beIincludediia:thelist-i' ■■'
m--,1-1, •••/•••
isdoesnet,ofcourse,includefraudulentimports.

Itisobviousthat,forthereasonssetoutabove,thecompilationof
thislistinnowayprejudgesthesolutionswhichhaveyetto"befound
fortheindividualproblemsofDenmark,theUnitedKingdomandIreland,
andforwhichthesecountrieshavebeengrantedcertainderogations.
UnderArticle3oftheDirectiveof12December1972,thelistcould
include,ifnecessary,detailsconcerningthepartsofcountries
authorisedtoexporttotheCommunityorconcerningthecategoriesof
animalsormeatwhichmaybeimportedintotheSEC.TheCommission
considersthatsuchspedificsltism shouldnotbeintroducedforthe
present,notbecausetheyservenopurpose,butbecauseitisnot
therightmoment.
Thecompilationofacommonlistofapprovedcountriesrepresents,of
course,aconsiderable changeinapproach,whichhashithertobeen
exclusivelynational.Itispreferabletowaituntilthisfirst-and
mostimportant–stephasbeentakenbeforegoingontothenextstage
ofdeterminingexactlywhichproductmaybeimportedfromwhatregion.
Thissecondstep,furthermore,wouldsimplybecarryingfurther ,the
intentionwhichlaybehindthefirststep;for,intheopinionofthe
Commission,itisobviousthatinclusionofacountryinthelistmeans
inprinciplethatthiscountrycanexporttotheCommunity.Allthat
remainsistodeterminewhatitcanactuallyexport,andunderwhat
conditions.
Thedecisiontobetakeninthisrespectwillbecloselylinkedwith
theprovisionsconcerninghealthinspectionwhichwillhavetobe
draftedforeachthirdcountry.Bieseprovisionsareformulatedon
thebasisofthehealthsituationinthecountryunderconsideration ,
asituationwhichisitselfthedeterminingfactorin.thechoiceof
animalsormeatwhichmaybeexportedtotheCommunity.

-7-
TheCommissionthereforeconsidersitpreferable,inviewofthe
technicalconsiderations onwhichpossiblespecifiCsiiolisconcerning
regions,animalsormeatwould "be"based,tosubmitthisquestionfor
theprocedureoftheStandingVeterinaryCommittee,whenitexpresses
itsopinion,pursuanttoArticles8(l)and16oftheDirectiveon
theabove-mentionedhealthconditions.
TheCommissionwillthenreferbacktothetopicsdealtwithunder
pcintII..1..above.*;•.byth-'sC^rsioi/.,
III.TheCommissionthereforeproposesthattheCouncil •adopttheattached
draftdecision.

Proposaifora
COWTCILDECISION
drawingupalistofthecountriesfrom
whichtheMemberStatesauthoriseimportation
ofbovineanimals,swineandfreshmeat.
TEECOmiCILOFTHEEUROPEANCOMITUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropeanEconomicCommunity,
HavingregardtoCouncilDirectiveof12thDecember1972^^concerninghealth
andveterinaryinspectionproblemsuponimportationofbovineanimalsand
swineandfreshmeatfromthirdcountries,aaiaatamende*}byCouaoilDirectiveof
2l?thIIovender1973,andinparticulararticle3paragraph1thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposaloftheCommission
Whereasthepastexperiencesofimportation fromthetraditional sourcesof
supplyseemnottohavegivenrisetoseriousdiseaseproblems,whenbeing
submittedtoadequateveterinarycontrolmeasures,
Whereasthelistofthirdcountriesshouldincludecountrieswhichhavebeen
traditionalsuppliersofliveanimalsandmeattotheMemberStates,andon
whichthenecessaryinformationisavailable,
VFhereasthedetailsofthecommodities whichmaybeexportedfromthecountries
onthelistandthespecificveterinaryconditionsunderwhichtheexportation
maytakeplace,willbesubjecttofurtherdecisions,
HASADCPTEDTIIISDECISION :
ARTICLE1
Takingintoaccounttheprovisionsofart.3paragraph2oftheCouncil
directiveof12thDecember1972andwithoutprejudicetotheotherprovisions
laiddowninthesaiddirective,theMemberStatesauthoriseimportationof
(1)OJNoL302,31.12.1972,p28
(2)CJNoL326,27.11.1973,p.17

bovineanimals,swineandfreshmeatofbovineanimals,swine,sheep,and
goatsandsolipedsfromthefollowingcountries :
Albania,Argentine,Australia,Austria,Botswana,Brazil,Bulgaria,Canada
Colombia,CostaRica,Cuba,Czechoslovakia ,ElSalvador,Finland,Germand
DemocraticRepublic,Greece,Guatemala,Honduras,Hungary,Iceland,Israel
Madagascar,Malta,Marocco,Mexico,NewZealand,Nicaragua,Norway,Panama
Paraguay,PeoplesRepublicofChina,Poland,Portugal,Rumania,SouthAfric
Spain,Swaziland,Sweden,Switzerland ,Turkey,Uruguay,UnitedStatesof
America,Uaioa.ofSovietSocialistsRepublics,Yugoslavia.
Article2
ThisdecisionisaddressedtotheMemberStates.
DoncatBrussels, FortheCouncil
ThePrésident