1999/334/EC: Commission Decision of 7 May 1999 on certain protection measures with regard to registered horses coming from South Africa (notified under document number C(1999) 1176) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 1999-05-07
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: South Africa, disease prevention, equidae, health certificate, health control, import

20. 5. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 126/19

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 7 May 1999

on certain protection measures with regard to registered horses coming from
South Africa

(notified under document number C(1999) 1176)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(1999/334/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15
July 1991 laying down the principles governing the
organisation of veterinary checks on animals entering the
Community from third countries and amending Direct-
ives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC (1), as last
amended by Directive 96/43/EC (2), and in particular
Article 18(1) thereof,

(1) Whereas Council Directive 90/426/EEC on animal
health conditions governing the movement and
imports from third countries of equidae (3), as last
amended by the Act of Accession of Austria,
Finland and Sweden, lays down the measures to be
taken in relation to African horse sickness;

(2) Whereas import conditions have been established
by Commission Decision 97/10/EC (4) for regis-
tered horses in relation to temporary admission and
imports into the Community from South Africa;

(3) Whereas fatal cases of African horse sickness (AHS)
have been declared in horses kept within the
surveillance zone in Western Cape Province of
South Africa, which was established by Decision

97/10/EC with regard to imports of
registered
horses from the disease free Metropolitan area of
Cape Town;

(4) Whereas the competent veterinary authorities in
South Africa have taken the necessary measures to
control
including vaccination of
susceptible animals within an area at risk situated
within the surveillance zone;

the disease,

(5) Whereas the presence of this disease in the surveil-
lance zone of the Western Cape province is liable
to constitute a serious danger
for Community
equidae; whereas moreover the recourse to vaccina-
tion in an area close to the disease free zone
precludes from further regionalisation in accord-
ance with Community legislation and internation-
ally accepted health standards;

(6) Whereas

the

suspended any
authorities have
exports of registered horses from the disease free
zone to Member States of the European Union;
whereas it is nevertheless necessary to adopt protec-
tion measures at Community level with regard to
imports of registered horses from South Africa;

(1) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56.
(2) OJ L 162, 1.7.1996, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 42.
(4) OJ L 3, 7.1.1997, p. 28.

(7) Whereas temporary admission, permanent imports
and transits of registered horses from the Metro-
politan area of Cape Town must be suspended;

L 126/20

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

20. 5. 1999

(8) Whereas this decision is in accordance with the

They shall inform the Commission thereof.

opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Member States shall prohibit the temporary admission,
transits and imports of registered horses from the Metro-
politan area of Cape Town in South Africa.

Article 2

Member States shall amend the measures they apply with
regard to South Africa to bring them into line with this
Decision.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 7 May 1999.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission