Commission Regulation (EC) No 331/1999 of 12 February 1999 amending Regulation (EC) No 2629/97 as regards passports in the framework of the system for the identification and registration of bovine animals
Date: 1999-02-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: beef, cattle, database, health control, labelling, meat product

13. 2. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 40/27

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 331/1999

of 12 February 1999

amending Regulation (EC) No 2629/97 as regards passports in the framework of
the system for the identification and registration of bovine animals

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97 of
21 April 1997 establishing a system for the identification
and registration of bovine animals and regarding the
labelling of beef and beef products (1), and in particular
Article 10(b) thereof,

Whereas Commission Regulation (EC) No 2629/97 (2), as
last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2194/98 (3),
lays
down detailed rules regarding ear-tags, holding registers
and passports in the framework of the identification and
registration system of bovine animals;

Whereas it is appropriate to take account of the diffi-
culties pointed out by Member States regarding the infor-
mation provided for the passports accompanying bovine
animals born before 1 January 1998;

Whereas it is appropriate to make optional the mention
of certain pieces of
information on passports accom-
panying bovine animals born before 1 January 1998;
whereas this derogation should not put in question the
obligation to mention these pieces of information on
passports of bovine animals born in the territory of a
Member State where such a requirement is foreseen by its
national rules;

Whereas Regulation (EC) No 2629/97 should be amended
accordingly;

Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are
in accordance with the opinion of the European Agricul-
tural Guidance and Guarantee Fund Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The following paragraph 4 is hereby added to Article 6 of
Regulation (EC) No 2629/97:

In derogation to point 1(a),

‘4.
the information
provided for by the second and fifth indents of Article
14, paragraph 3, point C.1 of Directive 64/432/EEC is
not compulsory for passports of bovine animals born
before 1 January 1998. The derogation foreseen in
this paragraph takes effect without prejudice to the
obligation to mention the abovementioned pieces of
information on passports of bovine animals born in
the territory of a Member State where such a require-
ment is foreseen by its national rules. Member States
shall communicate to each other and to the Commis-
sion the rules applied regarding the information
mentioned in this paragraph.'

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day
following its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member
States.

Done at Brussels, 12 February 1999.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 117, 7. 5. 1997, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 354, 30. 12. 1997, p. 19.
(3) OJ L 276, 13. 10. 1998, p. 4.