2002/472/EC: Commission Decision of 20 June 2002 laying down specific conditions for imports of fishery products from the Republic of Bulgaria (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2002) 2195)
Date: 2002-06-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Bulgaria, fishery product, health certificate, health risk, import restriction, veterinary inspection

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laying down specific conditions for imports of fishery products from the Republic of Bulgaria

COMMISSION DECISION

of 20 June 2002

(notified under document number C(2002) 2195)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2002/472/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
fishery products (1), as last
the placing on the market of
amended by 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 Bulgaria to verify the
conditions under which fishery products are produced,
stored and dispatched to the Community.

The requirements in the legislation of Bulgaria on health
inspection and monitoring of fishery products may be
considered equivalent to those laid down in Directive
91/493/EEC.

In particular, the ‘National Veterinary Service (NVS) of
the Ministry of Agriculture and Forest’ is capable of ef-
fectively verifying the implementation of the legislation
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 Bulgaria. In particu-
lar those rules must specify the definition of a model cer-
tificate, the minimum requirements regarding the lan-
guage 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, ex-
cept for certain frozen products.

It is also necessary to draw up a list of approved estab-
lishments, factory vessels, or cold stores, and a list of
freezer vessels equipped in accordance with the require-
ments of 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 NVS to the Commission. It is
therefore for the NVS to ensure compliance with the
provisions laid down to that end in Article 11(4) of Di-
rective 91/493/EEC.

(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.

(7)

(8)

(9)

The NVS has provided official assurances regarding com-
pliance with the rules set out in Chapter V of the Annex
to Directive 91/493/EEC with regard to the control of
fishery products, and regarding the fulfilment of hygienic
requirements equivalent
to those laid down by that
Directive.

However the inspection visit to Bulgaria has revealed cer-
tain deficiencies on the veterinary supervision as regards
identification of deficiencies in fishery establishments
and in the completion of the export health certificate for
fishery products and live fish. Therefore, the addition of
new establishments or vessels to the list of establish-
ments and vessels from which the imports from Bulgaria
are authorised, will require a new inspection visit on the
spot by the Commission experts.

Taking into account the results of the inspection visit,
the reduction in the frequency of physical checks, laid
down by Commission Decision 94/360/EC of 20 May
1994 on the reduced frequency of physical checks of
consignments of certain products to be implemented
from third countries, under Council Directive 90/675/
EEC (4), shall not be applied to fishery products imported
from Bulgaria.

(10)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accor-
dance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on
the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The ‘National Veterinary Service (NVS) of the Ministry of Agri-
culture and Forest’ shall be the competent authority in Bulgaria
for verifying and certifying compliance of fishery products with
the requirements of Directive 91/493/EEC.

Article 2

1.
Fishery products imported into the Community from
Bulgaria shall meet the conditions set out in paragraphs 2, 3
and 4.

Each consignment shall be accompanied by a numbered
2.
original health certificate, duly completed, signed, dated and
comprising a single sheet in accordance with the model
in
Annex I.

(4) OJ L 158, 25.6.1994, p. 41.

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The products shall come from approved establishments,
3.
factory vessels or cold stores or from registered freezer vessels
listed in Annex II.

4.
Except in the case of frozen fishery products in bulk and
intended for the manufacture of preserved foods, all packages
shall bear the word ‘BULGARIA’ and the approval/registration
number of the establishment, factory vessel, cold store or free-
zer vessel of origin in indelible letters.

Article 5

Annex II shall only be modified following the results of

1.
an inspection visit on the spot.

By derogation from paragraph 1, Annex II may be modi-
2.
fied following the procedure laid down by Decision 95/408/EC
to change the name or to delete establishments and vessels in-
cluded in the list of this Annex.

Article 3

The certificate referred to in Article 2(2) shall be drawn
language of the Member State in

1.
up in at least one official
which the checks are carried out.

2.
The certificate shall bear the name, capacity and signature
of the representative of the NVS and the latter’s official stamp
in a colour different from that of other endorsements.

Article 4

Member States, when importing fishery products from Bulgaria,
shall not apply to these products the reduction in the frequency
of physical checks provided by Decision 94/360/EC.

This Decision shall apply from 24 June 2002.

Article 6

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 7

Done at Brussels, 20 June 2002.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX I

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ANNEX II

LIST OF ESTABLISHMENTS AND VESSELS

No d'agrément/
Approval No

Nom/Name

Ville/City
Région/Region

Catégorie/Category

BG 0513001

Maxim-G Keranov

Novo Sello — Vidin District

BG 1613002

Parpen Chobanov

Boliartsi — Plovdiv District

BG 2113002

Salvenius ReyaFish

Dospat — Smolyan District

BG 2613001

Euro Pesca, Ltd company

Svilengrad — Haskovo District

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP: Etablissement/Processing Plant