1999/531/EC: Commission Decision of 14 July 1999 amending Decision 97/427/EC laying down special conditions for the import of live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods originating in Australia (notified under document number C(1999) 2064) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 1999-07-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Australia, fishery resources, health control, import, mollusc, originating product

3. 8. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 203/77

COMMISSION DECISION

of 14 July 1999

amending Decision 97/427/EC laying down special conditions for the import of live bivalve
molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods originating in Australia

(notified under document number C(1999) 2064)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(1999/531/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Decision 97/427/EC shall be modified as follows:

1. the title shall be replaced by the following:

‘Commision Decision of 25 June 1997 laying special condi-
tions for the import of bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tuni-
cates and marine gastropods originating in Australia';

2. Article 1 shall be replaced by the following:

‘Article 1

The “Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS)
of the Departement of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry”
shall be the competent authority in Australia for verifyng
and certifying that bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates
and gastropods fulfil the requirements of Directive 91/492/
EEC';

3. Article 2 shall be replaced by the following:

‘Article 2

Bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastro-
pods originating in Australia and intended for human
consumption must originate in the authorised production
areas listed in the Annex hereto.'

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 14 July 1999.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to council Directive 91/492/EEC of 15 July
1991 laying down the health conditions for the production
and the placing on the market of live bivalve molluscs (1), as
last amended by Directive 97/79/EC (2), and in particular
Article 9 thereof,

(1) Whereas Article 1 of Commission Decision 97/427/EC
of 25 June 1997 laying down special conditions for the
import of live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates
and marine gastropods originating in Australia (3), states
that the Department of Primary Industries and Energy —
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS)
shall be the competent authority in Australia for veri-
fying and certifying compliance of fishery and aquacul-
ture products with the requirements of Directive 91/
492/EEC;

(2) Whereas,

following a restructuring of

the Australian
administration, the competent authority for health certi-
ficates for fishery products (AQIS) has changed from the
Department of Primary Industries and Energy to the
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and
this new authority is capable of effectively verifying the
application of the laws in force; whereas it is, therefore,
necessary to modify the nomination of the competent
authority named by Decision 97/427/EC;

(3) Whereas it is convenient to harmonise the wording of
the title of Decision 97/427/EC with the wording of the
Articles of this Decision, and in particular to clarify that
this Decision lays down the import conditions of frozen
tunicates
or processed bivalve molluscs, echinoderm,
and marine gastropods originating in Australia;

(4) Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are
in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veter-
inary Committee,

(1) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 31.
(3) OJ L 183, 11.7.1997, p. 38.