2000/571/EC: Commission Decision of 8 September 2000 laying down the methods of veterinary checks for products from third countries destined for introduction into free zones, free warehouses, customs warehouses or operators supplying cross border means of sea transport (notified under document number C(2000) 2532) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2000-09-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: animal product, customs inspection, health certificate, maritime transport, third country, veterinary inspection

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 8 September 2000

laying down the methods of veterinary checks for products from third countries destined for
introduction into free zones, free warehouses, customs warehouses or operators supplying cross
border means of sea transport

(notified under document number C(2000) 2532)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2000/571/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December
1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of
veterinary checks on products entering the Community from
third countries (1), and in particular Articles 12(12) and 13(6)
thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Directive 97/78/EC sets down requirements for the
control of products of animal origin being introduced
into the Community at border inspection posts, in order
to protect animal and public health.

Consignments of products presented for introduction
into free zones, free warehouses, or customs warehouses
may only be admitted if the person responsible for the
load has declared beforehand whether the products are
ultimately for free circulation or are for some other end
use.

Products that do not meet Community requirements
may be presented for entry into warehouses in free
zones, free warehouses or customs warehouses, and for
provisioning of cross border means of sea transport, and
as these products represent an additional risk to both
animal and public health in the Community, they must
therefore be subjected to additional controls to ensure

(1) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 9.

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

the correct handling of the products during their trans-
port, storage and delivery to prevent the products being
placed on the Community market.

In order to control and permit effective traceability of
consignments of non conforming products the details
for the use of
the different certificates permitted in
Directive 97/78/EC must be made clear as also must the
requirements for the marking of such consignments
during storage to permit ready identification.

The official veterinarian at the border inspection post of
entry must ensure the hygiene and security of non-
conforming products transported to and from ware-
houses before approving the despatch, and in the case of
movement to warehouses in another Member State that
the competent authority of
that Member State has
authorised the warehouse of destination to accept this
type of product.

The warehouses within which the non-conforming prod-
ucts are delivered and stored must be under the control
of the competent authority and effective records must be
kept to allow traceability of all such products that pass
through the warehouse.

The checks that are to be carried out by the official
veterinarian on non-conforming products when the
products have entered are stored or are about to leave
from warehouses, as well as the extent of any splitting of
consignments permitted during storage, must be clari-
fied.

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L 240/15

(8)

(9)

The notification process and details of the certification
that must accompany consignments despatched from
operators supplying directly to cross border means of
sea transport, must be laid down in order to ensure an
effective system of control up to the point of delivery.

The operators supplying cross border means of sea
transport and any warehouses that they use must be
under the supervision of the competent authority.

(10)

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1.
All products not meeting Community requirements being
admitted under customs supervision and moved to or from or
stored in, warehouses in free zones,
free warehouses or
customs warehouses, must be accompanied by the certificate
referred to in Article 5(1) of Directive 97/78/EC, issued by the
official veterinarian.

In derogation from paragraph 1 the certificate referred to
2.
in Article 13(2)(a) of Directive 97/78/EC should be used to
accompany all consignments of non-conforming products
despatched from a warehouse to a cross border means of sea
transport directly or via a specially approved warehouse
referred to in Article 13(2)(a) of Directive 97/78/EC.

3.
In the case of non-conforming products that are moved
directly from a border inspection post to a cross border means
of sea transport, the consignment should be accompanied by
two certificates, that referred to in Article 5(1) and that referred
to in Article 13(2)(a) of Directive 97/78/EC.

Original veterinary documents or certificates arriving
4.
with consignments of non-conforming products from third
countries should remain with the consignment. During the
checks referred to in Article 12(2) of Directive 97/78/EC the
official veterinarian should make copies of these veterinary
documents for retention at the border inspection post.

5.
Consignments of non-conforming products stored in
warehouses must always be marked on each unit with the
unique number of the corresponding certificate referred to in
Article 5(1) of Directive 97/78/EC, to aid identification.

6. Where a consignment of non-conforming products is
divided into two or more parts in a warehouse in a free zone, a
free warehouse or a customs warehouse, the official veteri-
narian should issue a new certificate for each part consignment.
To allow traceability, all new certificates issued must be cross
referenced to the original certificate referred to in Article 5(1)
of Directive 97/78/EC that arrived at the warehouse with the

products. This original certificate of arrival should be retained
by the official veterinarian.

Article 2

The transport of consignments referred to in Article 1, to and
from warehouses approved under Articles 12(4)(b) or 13(1) of
Directive 97/78/EC, shall be subject to the following condi-
tions:

— the official veterinarian of the border inspection post must
be
relevant
satisfied if necessary by contacting the
competent authority, that the competent authority for the
premises of destination has approved the warehouse in the
free zone, the free warehouse, the customs warehouse or
the operator supplying cross border means of sea transport
to accept this type of product not meeting Community
rules,

— the competent authority responsible for the premises of
despatch shall inform the competent authority responsible
for the premises of destination by means of the Animo
network,

— the seals used and referred to in Article 12(7) and (8) of
Directive 97/78/EC must be such that they are broken at
the time of any opening of the vehicle or container,

— the means of land transport used for the transfer of non-
conforming products must be cleaned and disinfected after
use where necessary,

— the consignments must arrive at their stated destination
within a maximum of 30 days of despatch or the matter
should be referred to the customs authorities for further
investigation.

Article 3

1. Warehouses approved in accordance with Article 12(4)(b)
of Directive 97/78/EC must in addition to the requirements of
that Article at least:

— be under the control of the competent authority,

— have fax and telephone facilities available for the use of the

official veterinarian.

2.
The register of entries and despatches referred to in
Article 12(4)(b), third indent, of Directive 97/78/EC to be kept
in an approved warehouse must ensure traceability of consign-
ments and reconciliation of the quantities of material entering
and leaving the warehouse.
In addition to the information
specified in 12(4)(b) of Directive 97/78/EC the register must
include the following details:

— the country of origin and subsequent border inspection

post of arrival, for consignments entering,

— the unique reference number of the corresponding certifi-
cate referred to in either Article 5(1) or Article 13(2)(a) of
Directive 97/78/EC, for each consignment,

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— the reference number and address of the destination ware-
house referred to in Article 13(1)(c) of Directive 97/78/EC
(if applicable),

The veterinary document referred to in Article 13(2)(a) of
2.
Directive 97/78/EC must be based on the model in the Annex
to this Decision.

— the destination vessel, or the third country of destination

and border inspection post of exit (if applicable).

Article 4

The official veterinarian or persons operating under his super-
vision shall ensure that in warehouses approved under Article
12(4)(b) of Directive 97/78/EC, and in the case of consign-
ments of products not meeting Community requirements that:

— all consignments delivered into a warehouse are subjected

to a documentary check,

— documentary and identity checks are made on consign-
ments during storage and before exit to verify their source
and destination,

— all despatches of consignments

from warehouses are

authorised,

— when a consignment is split, the packaging of individual
subunits making up each part consignment remains unal-
tered.

The competent authority may also make physical checks if
necessary on all products referred to above and delivered to,
stored in, or despatched from, warehouses in free zones, free
warehouses or customs warehouses, where there is a suspicion
of animal or public health risk.

Article 5

Any premises referred to in Article 13(1)(c) or 13(2)(a) of
the

1.
Directive 97/78/EC must be under the supervision of
competent authority.

One certificate may be used for a consignment containing
products derived from different consignments of origin, as in
the model certificate in the Annex.

3.
The notification to the competent authority of the origin
point referred to in Article 13(2)(b) of Directive 97/78/EC shall
be by means of the certificate described above.

Where a consignment is destined for a port in a different
Member State, a copy of the certificate referred to above must
be transmitted to the competent authority of the port of desti-
nation.

On completion of delivery of the products on board the means
of sea transport the certificate referred to in paragraph 2 must
be countersigned by an official of the competent authority or
by an official representative of the master of the sea transport,
and returned to the official veterinarian as proof of delivery.

Commission Decision 93/14/EEC (1) is hereby revoked.

Article 6

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 7

Done at Brussels, 8 September 2000.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 9, 15.1.1993, p. 42.

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ANNEX

VETERINARY CERTIFICATE

Reference number:

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

Veterinary Certificate to accompany consignments of products from a warehouse approved under Article
12(4)(b) or an operator authorised under Article 13(1) of Directive 97/78/EC directly to a vessel or via a
specially approved warehouse (referred to in Article 13(2)(a) of Directive 97/78/EC) for provisioning in accor-
dance with Commission Decision 2000/571/EC

Responsible authority:

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

1. Origin (warehouse or border inspection post despatching products)

Address and approval number of warehouse of origin in the EC/name of border inspection post of despatch/identity
and authorised number of Article 13 warehouse (as applicable): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

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

2. Destination of the products

Vessel name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Port where vessel berthed:

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

Port, and approval number of specially approved storage premises (if to be used): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

3. Details of the consignment despatched (1)

Date of despatch of products: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Product type

Country of origin

Number of packages

Weight

Gross

Net

Number of the
certificate of origin
(Article 5(1) of
Directive 97/78/EC)

(1) Continue details in Annex if required.

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4. Attestation

I certify that the products described above, are authorised to be despatched to the vessel or warehouse specified above
in accordance with Article 13(2)(a) of Directive 97/78/EC.

Done at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(place)

(date)

(cid:1)Stamp (2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(Signature of official veterinarian) (2)

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

(Name in capital

letters, qualification and title)

5. Confirmation of arrival of consignment

I confirm delivery of the consignment specified in section 3, as stored on board the vessel specified in section 2.

Done at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(place)

(date)

(cid:1)Stamp (2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(Signature of competent authority/official representative of the master of vessel) (2)

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

(Name in capital

letters, position)

(2) The signature and stamp must be in a colour different to that of the printing.