2002/907/EC: Commission Decision of 15 November 2002 temporarily recognising the surveillance network system for bovine holdings introduced in France under Council Directive 64/432/EEC (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2002) 4417)
Date: 2002-11-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: France, agricultural holding, cattle, information network, information system, intra-EU trade, veterinary inspection

L 313/32

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16.11.2002

COMMISSION DECISION

of 15 November 2002

temporarily recognising the surveillance network system for bovine holdings introduced in France
under Council Directive 64/432/EEC

(notified under document number C(2002) 4417)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2002/907/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 64/432/EEC of 26 June
1964 on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in
bovine animals and swine (1), as last amended by Commission
Regulation (EC) No 1226/2002 (2), and in particular Article
16(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

On 21 September 2000 the French authorities submitted
a request, accompanied by appropriate documentation
and subsequently updated, for recognition of the surveil-
lance network system for bovine holdings set up in
France.

The French database for bovine animals, which is one of
the obligatory components of the surveillance network
system,
is recognised by Commission Decision 2001/
399/EEC (3) as fully operational from 2 September 2001.

Following a Commission veterinary inspection visit to
France the Commission's experts found that the surveil-
lance network system for bovine holdings introduced in
France was generally capable of meeting most of the
purposes stipulated in Article 14 of Directive 64/432/
EEC but that movements of animals passing through
markets and assembly centres were not entered in the
database despite commitments previously made by
France to improve it.

However, in line with Articles 11 and 13 of Directive
64/432/EEC persons in charge of assembly centres and
cattle dealers are required to record, in a register or data-
base to be retained for at least three years, information
pertaining to the movements of animals passing through
their premises.

such
The French network meets
networks as indicated in Article 6 of Directive 64/432/
EEC.

the purposes of

(1) OJ L 121, 29.7.1964, p. 1977/64.
(2) OJ L 179, 9.7.2002, p. 13.
(3) OJ L 140, 24.5.2001, p. 69.

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

France has made commitments to improve its database
by the end of 2003.

France's surveillance network system for bovine holdings
should therefore be given provisional approval for the
interim period.

At the end of that period veterinary inspectors will visit
France to assess progress on the action plan proposed by
France and the temporary approval will be reviewed in
the light of their report.

To allow Member States to adjust to the provisions regu-
lating trade in bovine animals the dates on which the
recognition takes effect and comes to an end should be
specified.

(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 surveillance network system for bovine holdings provided
for in Article 14 of Directive 64/432/EEC introduced in France
is hereby considered to be provisionally operational from 5
November 2002 until 31 December 2003 at the latest.

Article 2

The Commission shall in cooperation with the French authori-
ties make inspections on the spot to verify implementation of
the action proposed by France.

The provisional approval of the surveillance network system
granted in Article 1 and the approval of the database granted
shall be reviewed in the light of the inspection findings by 31
December 2003.

16.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 313/33

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 3

Done at Brussels, 15 November 2002.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission