2002/26/EC: Commission Decision of 11 January 2002 laying down special conditions governing imports of fishery products originating in the Republic of Gabon (notified under document number C(2002) 14/3) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2002-01-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Gabon, aquaculture, fishery product, health certificate, import policy, originating product

15.1.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 11/31

COMMISSION DECISION

of 11 January 2002

laying down special conditions governing imports of fishery products originating in the Republic
of Gabon

(notified under document number C(2002) 14/3)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2002/26/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 91/493/EEC of 22 July
1991 laying down the health conditions for the production
and the placing on the market of fishery products (1), as last
amended by Council Directive 97/79/EC (2), and in particular
Article 11(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

An inspection has been carried out on behalf of the
Commission in the Republic of Gabon to verify the
conditions under which fishery products are produced,
stored and dispatched to the Community.

The provisions of Gabonian legislation on health inspec-
tion and monitoring of fishery products may be consid-
ered equivalent to those laid down in Directive 91/
493/EEC.

In particular the ‘Direction Générale des Pêches et de
l'Aquaculture (DGPA) du Ministère des Eaux et Forêts, de
la Pêche, du Reboisement chargé de l'Environnement et
de la Protection de la Nature’ is capable of effectively
verifying the application of the laws in force.

It is appropriate to lay down detailed rules concerning
the health certificate which must, under Directive 91/
493/EEC, accompany consignments of fishery products
imported into the Community from Gabon. In particular
these rules must specify the definition of a model certifi-
cate, the minimum requirements regarding the language
or languages in which it must be drafted and the status
of the person empowered to sign it.

The mark which must be affixed to packages of fishery
products should give the name of the third country and
the approval/registration number of the establishment,
factory vessel, cold store or freezer vessel of origin,
except for certain frozen products.

Pursuant to Article 11(4)(c) of Directive 91/493/EEC a
list of approved establishments, factory vessels, or cold
stores must be drawn up, and a list of freezer vessels
equipped in accordance with the points 1 to 7 of Annex

II to Council Directive 92/48/EEC (3) must also be drawn
up. These lists must be drawn up on the basis of a
communication from the DGPA to the Commission. It is
therefore for the DGPA to ensure compliance with the
provisions laid down to that end in Directive 91/
493/EEC.

(7)

(8)

The DGPA has provided official assurances regarding
compliance with the rules set out in Chapter V of the
Annex to Directive 91/493/EEC, and regarding the fulfil-
ment of hygienic requirements equivalent to those laid
down by that Directive.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The ‘Direction Générale des Pêches et de l'Aquaculture (DGPA)
du Ministère des Eaux et Forêts, de la Pêche, du Reboisement
chargé de l'Environnement et de la Protection de la Nature’
shall be the competent authority in Gabon for verifying and
certifying compliance of fishery and aquaculture products with
the requirements of Directive 91/493/EEC.

Article 2

Fishery and aquaculture products originating in Gabon must
meet the following conditions:

1. each consignment must be accompanied by a numbered
original health certificate, duly completed, signed, dated and
comprising a single sheet in accordance with the model in
Annex A hereto;

2. the products must come from approved establishments,
factory vessels or cold stores, or from registered freezer
vessels listed in Annex B hereto;

3. except in the case of frozen fishery products in bulk and
the manufacture of preserved foods, all
intended for
packages must bear the word ‘GABON’ and the approval/
registration number of
factory vessel,
cold store or freezer vessel of origin in indelible letters.

the establishment,

(1) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 15.
(2) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 31.

(3) OJ L 187, 7.7.1992, p. 41.

L 11/32

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

15.1.2002

Article 3

Article 5

1.
Certificates as referred to in Article 2(1) must be drawn
up in at least one official language of the Member State where
the checks are carried out.

Certificates must bear the name, capacity and signature of
2.
the representative of the DGPA and the latter's official stamp in
a colour different from that of other endorsements.

Article 4

This Decision shall apply from the 60th day following that of
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 11 January 2002.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

15.1.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 11/33

ANNEX A

L 11/34

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

15.1.2002

15.1.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 11/35

ANNEX B

LIST OF ESTABLISHMENTS AND VESSELS

Approval No

Name

City
Region

Approval
limit

Category

011

012

014

015

016

018

019

081

082

083

084

085

086

087

088

089

0115

0121

0122

0123

Guoji 801 (Sigapeche)

Ontre IV (Gabo Peche)

Figuereo XVII (Astipeche Gabon)

Rosa Madre (Gabo Peche)

Figuereo X (Astipeche Gabon)

Pesconuba (Gabo peche)

Figuereo XIV (Astipeche Gabon)

Amerger I (Amerger Gabon)

Amerger III (Amerger Gabon)

Amerger VII (Amerger Gabon)

Amerger IX (Amerger Gabon)

Renovation II (Amerger Gabon)

Renovation V (Amerger Gabon)

Renovation VI (Amerger Gabon)

Amerger VIII (Amerger Gabon)

Renovation IV (Amerger Gabon)

Delfin (Afripesca)

Figuereo XVI (Astipeche Gabon)

Eugenie Charles (Oceane)

Le Groisillon (Oceane)

1537/B

Amerger Gabon

3259/B

Sigapeche

3434/B

Oceane

Legend:

Processing plant.

PP:
ZV: Freezer vessel.

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

ZV

PP

PP

PP