2003/70/EC: Commission Decision of 29 January 2003 on certain protective measures in respect of infectious salmon anaemia in Norway (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 362)
Date: 2003-01-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, Norway, fish, health certificate, import restriction, infectious disease

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Official Journal of the European Communities

31.1.2003

COMMISSION DECISION

of 29 January 2003

on certain protective measures in respect of infectious salmon anaemia in Norway

(notified under document number C(2003) 362)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2003/70/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15 July
1991 laying down the principles governing the organisation of
veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from
third countries and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/
EEC and 90/675/EEC (1), as last amended by Directive 96/43/
EC (2), and in particular Article 18(7) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December
1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of
veterinary checks on products entering the Community from
third countries (3), and in particular Article 22(6) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

The occurrence of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) in
Norway,
led to the adoption of Commission Decision
1999/766/EC of 28 July 1999 on certain protective
measures in respect of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA)
in salmonids in Norway (4), as last amended by Decision
2002/109/EC (5). The measures include a ban on imports
into the Community of live salmon and stringent condi-
tions for the importation of certain products for human
consumption. Those measures apply until 1 February
2003.

Despite the measures undertaken by Norway,
further
outbreaks of ISA were notified by that state in 2002,
and a rapid eradication of that disease cannot therefore
be envisaged.

The International Office of Epizootic Diseases (IOE), has
given an opinion stating that there is no evidence of
vertical transmission of ISA virus.

On the basis of the opinion of the IOE, and the experi-
ence and practice of Member States and third countries
affected by ISA, it has not been demonstrated that it is
necessary to retain the protective measures provided for
in Decision 1999/766/EC relating to eggs and gametes
of the family Salmonidae coming from a farm in Norway
that is not under animal health restrictions due to a
suspicion or an outbreak of infectious salmon anaemia,

(1) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56.
(2) OJ L 162, 1.7.1996, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 9.
(4) OJ L 302, 25.11.1999, p. 23.
(5) OJ L 40, 12.2.2002, p. 12.

and it is thus appropriate to replace the measures by
those contained in this Decision and Decision 1999/
766/EC should accordingly be repealed.

(5)

(6)

In light of the disease situation in Norway, the protective
measures contained in this Decision should remain
applicable until February 2004.

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

Live fish, eggs and gametes belonging to the family Salmo-
nidae

live
1. Member States
belonging to the family Salmonidae originating in Norway.

shall prohibit

imports of

fish

2. Member States shall prohibit imports of live eggs of fish
belonging to the family Salmonidae originating in Norway,
unless they have been disinfected twice, both at the green egg
stage and the eyed egg stage, and subject to the consignments
being accompanied by a certificate in accordance with the
model laid down in Annex I of this Decision.

3. Member States shall authorise the import of live gametes
of
fish belonging to the family Salmonidae originating in
Norway.

Article 2

Conditions for the import of non-processed slaughtered
for human
fish belonging to the family Salmonidae

consumption

Member States shall authorise import of slaughtered Atlantic
salmon (Salmo salar), sea trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout
(Oncorhynchus mykiss) originating in Norway provided that they
are eviscerated, or when they are non-eviscerated, provided that
the consignments are accompanied by a certificate in accor-
dance with the model laid down in Annex II of this Decision.

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Article 3

Derogation for scientific purposes

By way of derogation, Member States may allow the importa-
tion into their territory of samples of the animals and products
covered by the present Decision for scientific purposes.

Article 6

This Decision shall apply from 3 February 2003 until 1
February 2004.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 7

Decision 1999/766/EC is repealed.

Article 4

Article 5

The Member States shall amend the measures they apply in
trade in order to bring them into conformity with this Deci-
sion. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.

Done at Brussels, 29 January 2003.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX I

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ANNEX II