1999/839/EC: Commission Decision of 6 December 1999 on certain protection measures with regard to equidae coming from the United States of America and repealing Decision 1999/707/EC (notified under document number C(1999) 4066) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 1999-12-06
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: United States, equidae, health certificate, health control, import, veterinary inspection

L 325/62

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17. 12. 1999

COMMISSION DECISION

of 6 December 1999

on certain protection measures with regard to equidae coming from the United States of America
and repealing Decision 1999/707/EC

(notified under document number C(1999) 4066)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(1999/839/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(6)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary
Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

A supplementary certificate in accordance with the specimen in
the Annex to this Decision, signed by the central competent
veterinary authorities of the United States of America, shall be
required for the temporary admission of registered horses, the
re-entry after temporary export of registered horses and the
imports and transit of equidae, coming from the United States
of America.

Decision 1999/707/EC is hereby repealed.

Article 2

Article 3

Member States shall amend the measures they apply with
regard to the United States of America to bring them into line
with this Decision.

They shall

inform the Commission thereof.

This Decision shall apply until 31 January 2000.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 5

Done at Brussels, 6 December 1999.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

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 Directives 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(7) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

In the United States of America cases of West Nile fever,
a non-contagious vector-transmitted viral disease, have
been reported in humans and horses in the State of New
York. The virus or virus genome was confirmed in birds
and/or vector insects in New York City and certain
counties of the States New York, Connecticut and New
Jersey;

The presence of this disease is liable to constitute a
danger for humans and Community equidae;

By Decision 1999/707/EC (3) the Commission adopted
protection measures at Community level with regard to
importation of equidae from the United States of
America;

According to the epidemiological information from the
American authorities, supplementary conditions should
be applied on a regional basis for the temporary admis-
sion of registered horses, the re-entry after temporary
imports and
export of registered horses, permanent
transit of equidae from the United States of America;

For procedural reasons and in order to adapt the meas-
ures to the current epidemiological situation, it is neces-
sary to repeal Decision 1999/707/EC on certain protec-
tion measures with regard to equidae coming from the
United States of America;

(1) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56.
(2) OJ L 162, 1.7.1996, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 280, 30.10.1999, p. 125.

17. 12. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 325/63

ANNEX

SUPPLEMENTARY CERTIFICATE

Reference Number of Animal
Health Certificate:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The equidae described in the abovementioned animal health certificate complies with the following conditions:

(1) it has not been resident during the last 15 days in any of the following parts of the territory of the United

States of America:

— counties Fairfield and New Haven in the State of Connecticut,

— New York City with the boroughs Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island, and the
counties Kings, Nassau, Orange, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester in the State of New
York,

— counties Bergen, Burlington, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth,

Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Union and Warre in the State of New Jersey;

(2) during the past 15 days prior to this certification it has not been in contact with equidae which have been

resident on holdings where the presence of West Nile fever was confirmed.

Date and Place

Name and Function

Signature of the Official
Veterinarian