2001/164/EC: Commission Decision of 15 February 2001 amending Decision 1999/283/EEC 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 and Swaziland (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2001) 379)
Date: 2001-02-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Eswatini, beef, foot-and-mouth disease, health certificate, import, veterinary inspection

L 58/40

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

28.2.2001

COMMISSION DECISION

of 15 February 2001

amending Decision 1999/283/EEC 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 and Swaziland

(notified under document number C(2001) 379)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2001/164/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(8)

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12
December 1972 on health and veterinary inspection problems
on importation of bovine, ovine and caprine animals and
swine, fresh meat or meat products from third countries (1), as
last amended by Directive 97/79/EC (2),
in paticular Articles
14(3) and 22 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

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

from South Africa are only
Imports of
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 30 November 2000 an outbreak of foot-and-mouth
disease was confirmed in South Africa in the province of
Mpumalanga,

in the free region.

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

competent

authorities of South Africa have
The
provided sufficient guarantees with regard to the meas-
ures taken to control
the movement of animals of
susceptible species within and out of the infected area, in
particular by declaring around the outbreak in the Prov-
ince of Mpumalanga, a control area with vaccination for
foot-and-mouth disease.

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

On 30 November 2000 an outbreak of foot-and-mouth
disease was confirmed in bovine animals originating in
South Africa at an EC-approved slaughterhouse in
Swaziland.

(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.

According to Directive 72/462/EEC a non-member
country may continue to be considered as having been
free of foot-and-mouth disease for at least two years,
even if a limited number of outbreaks of the disease
have been recorded on a limited part of its territory, on
conditions that such outbreaks were stamped out within
a period of less than three months.

The competent authorities of Swaziland have provided
sufficient guarantees with regard to the measures taken
to control the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and
restrictions on the slaughterhouse were lifted on 23
December 2000.

Therefore imports into the EC of meat from Swaziland
may be resumed from 1 March 2001 however it is
appropriate to provide for a specific footnote in the
relevant certificate to clarify this.

(9)

(10)

(11) Decision 1999/283/EC must be amended accordingly.

(12)

(13)

The present Decision shall 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 Commission Decision 1999/283/EC is replaced by
the Annex to this Decision

Article 2

Annex III to Decision 1999/283/EC the animal health certifi-
cate model A is amended until the 1 December 2001 by the
addition of footnote 5 in the health attestation at the end of
paragraph 1 as follows ‘(5) In the case of Swaziland, notwith-
standing the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease confirmed in
the slaughterhouse on 30 November 2000, the country may be
regarded as being free of
least 12
months from 1 March 2001.’

foot-and-mouth for at

28.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 58/41

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 3

Done at Brussels, 15 February 2001.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

L 58/42

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

28.2.2001

ANNEX

‘ANNEX I

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

Country

Territory code

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 extends 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 extends northwards
from the river Usutu to the frontier with South Africa west of
Nkalashane

South Africa

ZA

01/99

The whole country

ZA-01

01/01

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,
(including the
Inanda, Pinetown, Durban,
Lower Tugela,
metropolitan area of Durban), Chatswoth, Umzali, Umbum-
bulu and Richmond in the province of KwaZulu-Natal

the province of Mpumalanga

Zimbabwe

ZW

01/99

The whole country

ZW-01

01/99

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

and Matabeleland

districts)

north