2001/393/EC: Commission Decision of 4 May 2001 laying down animal health conditions and veterinary certification for the import of specified pathogen free eggs from non-member countries and drawing up a list of non-member countries from which Member States authorise imports of such eggs (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2001) 1174)
Date: 2001-05-04
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: egg, health certificate, import, scientific research, third country, vaccine

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 138/31

COMMISSION DECISION

of 4 May 2001

laying down animal health conditions and veterinary certification for the import of specified
pathogen free eggs from non-member countries and drawing up a list of non-member countries
from which Member States authorise imports of such eggs

(notified under document number C(2001) 1174)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2001/393/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 90/539/EEC of 15 October
1990 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community
trade in and imports from third countries of poultry and
hatching eggs (1), as last amended by Directive 1999/90/EC (2),
and in particular Articles 23, 24(2), 26 and 27a thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Specified pathogen free (SPF) eggs are hatching eggs,
which are used for diagnostic procedures in laboratories,
for the production and testing of vaccines and for
research and pharmaceutical purposes and have to be
marked with a stamp.

Council Regulation (EEC) No 2782/75 of 29 October
1975 on the production and marketing of eggs for
hatching and of farmyard poultry chicks (3) lays down
the requirements for marking of hatching eggs and its
implementing Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1868/
lays down detailed rules of application in par-
77 (4),
ticular concerning marking of hatching eggs.

(7)

(8)

(9)

tion that all the other provisions of this Decision are
applied.

Member States wish to import SPF eggs from countries,
which are not considered as free from Newcastle disease
and avian influenzua, but can offer satisfactory animal
health guarantees for this specific product.

SPF eggs may only be used in facilities, where they have
to be destroyed or otherwise treated after use in such a
way that any risk of spread of disease is prevented.

An animal health certificate for this category of eggs and
a corresponding list of non-member countries, which
are allowed to use this certificate for the exportation of
such eggs to the Community has to be drawn up.

(10)

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

(3)

SPF eggs are not fit for human consumption.

Article 1

(4)

(5)

(6)

SPF eggs are not
such in
Community legislation therefore a specific definition has
to be laid down.

speficically definied as

The SPF eggs have to be produced in accordance with
the valid European Pharmacopoeia (5),
in which the
requirements are defined.

These particular characteristics should prevent the intro-
duction of avian influenza, Newcastle disease and other
relevant poultry diseases into the Community on condi-

(1) OJ L 303, 31.10.1990, p. 6.
(2) OJ L 300, 23.11.1999, p. 19.
(3) OJ L 282, 1.11.1975, p. 100.
(4) OJ L 209, 17.8.1977, p. 1.
(5) Third edition, Council of Europe, 1997.

For the purpose of this Decision the following definition shall
apply: ‘Specified pathogen free (SPF) eggs’ are hatching eggs as
laid down in Article 2(2) of Council Directive 90/539/EEC,
which are derived from ‘chicken flocks free from specified
pathogens’ as described in the European Pharmacopoeia and
which are intended for diagnostic, research or pharmaceutical
use only.

Article 2

1. Member States shall authorise the importation of SPF
eggs from non-member countries or parts of non-member
countries listed in Annex I, provided that
the
requirements of the corresponding animal health certificate set
out in Annex II and that they are accompanied by such a
certificate, duly completed and signed.

they meet

L 138/32

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

22.5.2001

2. Member States shall authorise the importation of SPF
eggs only when they are marked with a stamp indicating the
ISO code of the country and the approval number of the
establishment and when their packaging bears the same infor-
mation clearly visible and readable indicating that the consign-
furthermore after the
ment contains this specific product;
import control the consignment must be transported directly
to its final destination. Such a marking shall be in conformity
with the general requirements for marketing of eggs laid down
in Article 6 of Regulation (EEC) No 2782/75 as last amended
and its implementing Regulation (EEC) No 1868/77.

treated after use in such a way that any risk of spread of disease
is prevented.

Article 4

This Decision shall apply for specified pathogen free eggs
certified as from 30 April 2001.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 5

Article 3

Unused eggs, all packaging material and any waste parts or
waste products of the eggs must be incinerated or otherwise

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

Done at Brussels, 4 May 2001.

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 138/33

ANNEX I

Non-member countries which are allowed to use the certificate laid down in Annex II to this Decision for imports of
specified pathogen free (SPF) eggs into the European Union are those countries which are listed in Part I of the Annex to
Council Decision 79/542/EEC.

L 138/34

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

22.5.2001

ANNEX II

ANIMAL HEALTH CERTIFICATE

for specified pathogen free (SPF) eggs intended for consignment to the European Community

After the import control this consignment must be transported directly to its final destination.

1.

Consignor (name and address in full)

2.

HEALTH CERTIFICATE

Nr.

ORIGINAL

3.

Consignee (name and address in full)

4.

Country of origin

5.

COMPETENT AUTHORITY:

6.

Place of loading

5.1. Ministry

5.2. Service

7.

ISSUING COMPETENT AUTHORITY (LOCAL
LEVEL)

8.

Means of transport (1)

9.

Address of breeding establishment of origin

10.1.

Member State of destination:

10.2.

Final destination (Name and address in full)

11. Approval numbers(s) of the breeding establish-

12.

ment(s) of origin

Consignment identification details: (including any
container seal numbers)

13.

Egg marks (including establishment number and
ISO-code of the country of origin)

14.

Quantity (in words and figures)

14.1. Number of eggs

14.2. Number of boxes

14.3. Net weight

Notes:

(a) A separate certificate must be provided for each
consignment of hatching eggs transported in the
same railway wagon,
lorry, aircraft or ship and
consigned to the same destination.

(b) The original of the certificate must accompany the
it reaches the border inspection

consignment until
post.

(c)

It must be completed on the day of loading and all
time limits referred to relate to that date.

(1) Indicate means of transport and registration marks or registered name, as appropriate.

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 138/35

15. I, the undersigned official veterinarian, hereby certify, in accordance with the provisions of Directive 90/539/EEC:

Health information

1. that the SPF eggs described in this certificate come from chicken flocks which meet the following requirements:

(a) they are free from specified pathogens as described in the European Pharmacopoeia (2) and all tests and clinical
examinations required for this specific status have given favourable results including negative testing results for
avian influenza and Newcastle disease carried out within the last 30 days preceding dispatch;

(b) they have been clinically examined at least once a week as described in the European Pharmacopoeia (2) and no

clinical signs or suspicion of disease were detected

(c) they have been held for more than six weeks in the following establishment(s) officially approved in accordance
with requirements which are at least equivalent to those laid down in Annex II to Directive 90/539/EEC: . . . . . (3)

— for which the approval is not suspended or withdrawn,
— which is (are) not subject to any animal health restriction;

(d) they have during the period mentioned in (c) had no contact with poultry not meeting the requirements laid

down in this certificate or with wild birds.

2. They have been marked as indicated in point 13 of the certifiate using coloured ink.

3. That the eggs have been collected from . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (dates).

4. That the eggs are transported in disposable boxes used for the first time:

(a) which contain only eggs coming from the same establishment;

(b) which are clearly marked indicating the following:

— the name of the country of origin,
— SPF eggs for diagnostic, research or pharmaceutical use only,
— the number of eggs,
— the name, address and approval number of production establishment,
— the Member State of destination;

(c) which are closed in accordance with the instructions of the competent authority in such a way as to avoid any

possibility of substitution of the contents and which shall be leak proof.

5. That the containers and vehicles in which the boxes mentioned in point 4 have been cleansed and disinfected

before loading in accordance with the instructions of the competent authorities.

16. This certificate is valid for five days.

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

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

(cid:1)Stamp (4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(signature of official veterinarian) (4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(name in capital letters, qualifications and title)

(2) third edition, Council of Europe, 1997.
(3) Approval number(s) of approved establishment(s) of origin.
(4) Stamp and signature in a colour different to that of the printing.