2000/739/EC: Commission Decision of 17 November 2000 amending Decision 1999/283/EC concerning the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of fresh meat from certain African countries to take account of the animal health situation in South Africa (notified under document number C(2000) 3335) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2000-11-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Africa, fresh meat, health certificate, import, third country, veterinary inspection

25.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 298/27

COMMISSION DECISION

of 17 November 2000

amending Decision 1999/283/EC concerning the animal health conditions and veterinary certi-
fication for imports of fresh meat from certain African countries to take account of the animal
health situation in South Africa

(notified under document number C(2000) 3335)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2000/739/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to the Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12
December 1972 on health and veterinary inspection problems
upon importation of bovine, ovine and caprine animals and
swine, fresh meat or meat products from third countries (1), as
last amended by Council Directive 97/79/EC (2), and in partic-
ular Articles 14 and 22 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

The animal health conditions and veterinary certification
for imports of fresh meat from certain African countries
are laid down by Commission Decision 1999/283/EC (3).

fresh meat

Imports of
from South Africa are only
possible from a part of the territory of this country
which has been recognised by the European Community
as officially free of foot-and-mouth disease.

On 15 September 2000 the competent authorities
confirmed on outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the
province of KwaZulu-Natal,

in the free region.

The situation is liable to seriously endanger Community
livestock in view of imports of products of biungulate
animals.

The competent authorities of South Africa provided
sufficient guarantees with regard to the measures taken
to control
the movement of animals of susceptible
species within and out of the infected area, in particular
by declaring 16 districts, around the outbreak in the
province of KwaZulu-Natal, a control area for foot-and-
mouth disease.

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

It is therefore necessary to redefine the territory of South
Africa from which imports into the Community of fresh
meat are authorised.

In addition, it appears necessary to clarify, that imports
of fresh meat from Namibia are only possible from the
territory South of the cordon fences which extend from
Palgrave Point in the west to Gam in the east, which has
bene recognised by the European Community as offi-
cially free of foot-and-mouth disease.

Decision 1999/283/EC must be amended accordingly.

The present Decision must be reviewed in the light of
the evolution of the disease situation.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Annex I to Decision 1999/283/EC is replaced by the Annex to
the present Decision.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 2

Done at Brussels, 17 November 2000.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 302, 31.12.1972, p. 28.
(2) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 31.
(3) OJ L 110, 28.4.1999, p. 16.

L 298/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25.11.2000

ANNEX

‘ANNEX I

DESCRIPTION OF TERRITORIIES OF CERTAIN AFRICAN COUNTRIES ESTABLISHED FOR ANIMAL
HEALTH CERTIFICATION PURPOSES

Country

Code of territory

Version

Description of territory

Botswana

BW

01/99

The whole country

BW-01

01/99

Veterinary disease control zones, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 18

Morocco

Madagascar

Namibia

MA

MG

NA

01/99

The whole country

01/99

The whole country

01/99

The whole country

NA-01

01/00

South of the cordon fences which extend from Palgrave-Point in the west to Gam in the
east

Swaziland

SZ

01/99

The whole country

SZ-01

01/99

Area west of the “red line” fences which extend northwards from the River Usutu to the
frontier with South Africa west of Nkalashane

South Africa

ZA

01/99

The whole country

ZA-01

01/00

Republic of South Africa excluding:

— the part of the foot-and-mouth disease control area situated in the veterinary region
Northern and Eastern Transvaal, in the district of Ingwavuma of the veterinary region
of Natal and in the border area with Botswana east of longitude 28°,

and

— the districts of Camperdown, Pietermaritzburg, Lions River, New Hanover, Umvoti,
Kranskop, Mapumulo, Ndwedwe, Lower Tugela, Inanda, Pinetown, Durban, (including
the metropolitan area of Durban), Chatsworth, Umzali, Umbumbulu and Richmond in
the province of KwaZulu-Natal

Zimbabwe

ZW

01/99

The whole country

ZW-01

01/99

Veterinary regions of Mashonaland West province, Mashonaland East province (including
Chikomba district), Mashonaland Central province, Manicaland province (including only
Makoni district), Midlands province (including only the Gweru, Kwekwe, Shurugwi, Chiri-
manzu and Zvishavane districts), Masvingo province (including only the districts of Gutu
and Masvingo), Matabeleland South province (incuding only the Insiza, Bullimamangwe,
Umzingwamange, Gwanda and West Nicholson districts) and Matabeleland North prov-
ince (including only the districts of Bubi and Umgusa)’