ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
DE LA COMMISSION 
 
 
 
COLLECTION RELIEE DES 
DOCUMENTS "COM" 
 
 
 
 
COM (83) 612 
 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/0 226 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Communit y and the European Atom ic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1 ), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 2 43 vom  27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung m it Artikel 5  
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.  
COMMISSION O F THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(83) 612 final
Brussels,9 NOVEMBER 1983
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL
Derogatory measures currently applicable to Ireland and United Kingdom 
in respect of Northern Ireland in the matter of intra-Community trade 
in bovine animals and swine and fresh meat
COM(83) 612 final

COMMUNICATION
FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL
Subject :  Derogatory measures currently applicable to Ireland and United
Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland in the matter of intra- 
Community trade in bovine animals and swine and fresh meat
1. It will be recalled that Ireland and the United Kingdom in respect of 
Northern Ireland were authorized unitl 31 December 1983 under Article 4 of 
Directive 64/432/EEC and Article 13 of Directive 72/461/EEC to apply their 
national legislation relating to foot and mouth disease to imports of 
bovine animals and swine and to fresh meat from other Member States.
2. It will be further recalled that when the Council agreed to extend the 
derogatory measures until 31 December 1983 the following statements were 
entered in the Council Minutes concerning foot and mouth disease :
"The Council requests the Commission to make use of the opportunity provi­
ded by the application of the Directive on third countries to broach with 
the United States in particular, in the general context of health- 
regulation problems, the problems raised in connection with foot and mouth 
disease by trade in animals for slaughter and animal products and by the 
possible regionalization of Community policy.
The Council requests the Commission to report to it on the results of 
these contacts, and submit any proposals that may be necessary in time for 
it to take a decision before 31 December 1983·
The Council will carefully examine the Commission proposals in order to 
establish, before 31 December 1983, rules introducing a system to govern 
intra-Community trade in live animals and fresh meat, taking into account, 
in the first place, the existence of divergent policies on the control of 
foot and mouth disease and, in the second place, the need to preserve 
certain traditional patterns of trade; under this system, a solution will 
also have to be found in order to liberalize intra-Community trade in 
unvaccinated pigs for slaughter and their meat."

2
3- Following a determination of the principal trading partners of Ireland and 
Northern Ireland among third countries letters were written to Australia, 
Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Mexico, Norway, Panama, South Korea, Sweden 
and United States explaining in detail the Community rules for trade 
between Member States in animals (bovine animals and swine), fresh meat of 
bovine animals, swine, sheep and domestic solipeds and meat products deri­
ved from such meat and requesting an indication of their intended action 
should Ireland and Northern Ireland abandon their derogations and adopt 
Community rules.
In addition direct contact was made with United States and Canadian vete­
rinary authorities during the course of meetings in Washington and Ottawa 
in April last.
4.  Replies to the Commission questionnaire have been received from Korea, New 
Zealand, Norway, Sweden and United States. The reply from Korea requires 
further explanation and clarification. The reply from United States 
requires clarification in respect of live animals.
Norway and Sweden have in broad terms stated that they will rely on the 
actual situation in Ireland and Northern Ireland i.e. freedom from foot 
and mouth disease and secondly will require a guarantee that animals (or 
products therefrom) are of Irish/Northern Irish origin.
New Zealand's position is similar to that of Norway and Sweden. However, 
for meat and meat products these commodities must be of Irish origin and 
be produced in establishments which do not handle imported meat i.e. the 
non-comminglement principle must be applied.
The United States in respect of fresh meat and products require that 
Ireland and Northern Ireland must be included in it's list of countries 
deemed free of foot and mouth disease and that if imports of animals or 
meat take place from countries not on the U.S. list then the non- 
comminglement principle must apply.
5· It will be seen therefore that although a trend is emerging towards the 
non-comminglement principle in respect of meat and meat products the 
Commission is not yet in a position to make a full report and the appro­
priate proposal to the Council. It is clear, however, that the derogation 
will have to be replaced by a regime allowing trade. The Commission will 
make the report and appropriate complementary proposals to the Council 
during early 1984·

- 3 -
6. At the same time the Commission notes the Resolution adopted by the
Parliament at it's Plenary Session in December 1982 (PE 81.615/def.) part 
of which reads as follows :
"Deems it acceptable to maintain for a limited period, while waiting for 
the introduction of efficient Community control measures, all the current 
derogations granted to certain Member States in conformity with their 
situation in the matter of protection against epizootic disease and consi­
der in other respects that it is appropriate to prolong these derogations 
until 31 December 1985» without prejudice to any agreements which may be 
applied on these matters after this period."
7· In these sircumstances the Commission suggests to the Council that the
Commission Proposal of 9 September 1982 (COM (82) 529 FINAL) for a Council 
Directive amending Directives 64/432/EEC and 72/461/EEC as regards certain 
measures relating to foot and mouth disease (and Aujeszky’s disease and 
swine vesicular disease) should be reexamined in order that a further 
interim solution may be found.