EFTA Surveillance Authority Decision

No 17/03/COL

of 5 February 2003

recognising the fully operational character of the Norwegian database for bovine animals

THE EFTA SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY,

Having regard to the EEA Agreement, and in particular Article 109 and Protocol 1 thereof,

Having regard to the Surveillance and Court Agreement, and in particular Article 5(2)(d) and Protocol 1 thereof,

Having regard to the Act referred to in point 1.1.7a of Chapter I of Annex I to the EEA Agreement establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products (Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97 of 21 April 1997), as adapted by way of Protocol 1 to the EEA Agreement, and in particular the first indent of Article 6(3),

Having regard to the request submitted by Norway on 2 May 2001,

Whereas, on 2 May 2001, Norway submitted to the EFTA Surveillance Authority a request asking for recognition of the fully operational character of its database that forms part of the Norwegian system for the identification and registration of bovine animals;

Whereas the Norwegian request was accompanied by appropriate information that was updated on 3 October 2001 and on 24 January 2002;

Whereas the Norwegian authorities undertook to improve the reliability of this database ensuring in particular that:

(1) Measures shall be taken in order to ensure that the national legislation is in compliance with the EC legislation incorporated into the EEA Agreement and applicable to Norway.

(2) Measures shall be taken in order to ensure that births, deaths and all movements to and from the holdings are entered into the cattle database, including animals imported or exported and movements to and from markets and notification of slaughter at the slaughterhouses.

(3) Measures, including administrative procedures for sanctions, shall be introduced to improve the procedures for the notification of births, deaths and all kinds of movements in order to comply with the time limit of seven days as laid down in second indent of Article 7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000.

(4) Procedures shall be introduced in order to ensure that the Norwegian Animal Health Authority during inspections on the farm takes into account the information available in the Cattle database.

(5) Measures shall be established in order to correct errors on the farm revealed during inspections performed by the Norwegian Animal Health Authority.

(6) Measures shall be introduced to ensure compliance with the established follow-up procedures based on the provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) No 494/98 as regards restrictions on movements of animals present on the holding in case of animals for which the identification and registration requirements laid down by Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 are not fully complied with.

(7) Procedures shall be put in place for issuing and submission of regular status reports from the operator of the database (SYSTOR) to the Norwegian Animal Health Authority.

(8) Procedures shall be put in place in order to control the overall system for notification of births, deaths and movement and for the registration of such events in the cattle database.

(9) Measures shall be taken to verify that all required information on all the holdings is registered in the cattle database.

(10) Measures, including educational actions, shall be put in place in order to reduce incorrect notifications and registration of events.

(11) A procedure shall be put in place in order to control the time spent from the event occurred until it is entered into the database.

(12) A procedure shall be put in place in order to verify all information entered into the cattle database. Measures for rapid correction of errors on the farm and in the database revealed by the verifying process shall be included in the procedure.

(13) Measures shall be put in place in order to ensure the entering of information in the database and to make it available when holdings are put under restriction for movement of animals due to non-compliance with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000.

(14) A procedure shall be introduced in order to inform the keeper on a regular basis about the information recorded in the database.

(15) Measures shall be put in place to ensure compliance with Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 as regards the use of passports whenever animals are moved,

Whereas the Norwegian authorities undertook to implement those improvement measures at the latest by 1 September 2002, and to inform the EFTA Surveillance Authority of any problems occurring during the implementation period of the abovementioned measures;

Whereas Norway by a letter of 17 July 2002 informed the Authority that the improvement measures would not be implemented by 1 September 2002;

Whereas Norway by a letter of 20 December 2002 informed the Authority that the improvement measures had been implemented as of 5 December 2002;

Whereas Norway by a letter of 30 January 2003 provided additional information to the letter of 20 December 2002;

Whereas in view of the evaluation of the situation in Norway, it is appropriate to recognise the fully operational character of the Norwegian database for bovine animals,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

1. The Norwegian database for bovine animals is recognised as fully operational.

2. This Decision is addressed to Norway.

3. This Decision shall be authentic in the English language.

Done at Brussels, 5 February 2003.

For the EFTA Surveillance Authority

President

Einar M. Bull