2003/576/EC: Commission Decision of 1 August 2003 amending Decision 93/402/EEC as regards imports of fresh meat from Argentina (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 2787)
Date: 2003-08-01
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Argentina, foot-and-mouth disease, fresh meat, health certificate, import, veterinary inspection

2.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 196/43

COMMISSION DECISION

of 1 August 2003

amending Decision 93/402/EEC as regards imports of fresh meat from Argentina

(notified under document number C(2003) 2787)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2003/576/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12
December 1972, on health and veterinary inspection problems
upon importation of bovine, ovine and caprine animals and
swine, fresh meat or meat products from third countries (1), as
last amended by Regulation (EC) No 807/2003 (2), and in parti-
cular Articles 14(3) thereof.

Having regard Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16 December
2002 laying down the animal health rules governing the
production, processing, distribution and introduction of
products of animal origin for human consumption (3) and in
particular Article 8(4).

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

Commission Decision 93/402/EEC of 10 June 1993
concerning animal health conditions and veterinary
certification for
from South
American countries (4), as last amended by Decision
2003/137/EC (5), applies
to Argentina, Brazil, Chile,
Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay.

imports of

fresh meat

The Commission has been informed by the Paraguayan
veterinary authorities of an outbreak of foot and mouth
disease close to the border with Argentina. Paraguay is
not currently authorised to export fresh meat into the
European Community.

The surveillance area of the outbreak affects part of the
territory of Argentina.

The Argentinean veterinary authorities immediately put
in place measures to avoid the spread of the disease into
the Argentinean territory,
in particular providing for
vaccination of and movement controls on the animals in
the provinces along the border area. The Argentinean
authorities
informed the Commission
Services about these measures.

immediately

In view of the potential risk of disease in this border
area, and taking account of the immediate action taken
by the competent veterinary authorities of Argentina, it

is sufficient to suspend the importation of de-boned and
matured bovine meat coming only from the departments
of Ramon Lista and Rivadavia and for a limited period
of time.

(6)

(7)

Decision 93/402/EEC should therefore be amended
accordingly.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Annex I to Decision 93/402/EEC is replaced by the text in the
Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

The Member States shall amend the measures they apply to
imports so as to bring them into compliance with this Decision
and they shall give immediate appropriate publicity to the
measures adopted. They shall immediately inform the Commis-
sion thereof.

Article 3

This Decision shall apply until 15 September 2003.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 1 August 2003.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 302, 31.12.1972, p. 28.
(2) OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 36.
(3) OJ L 18, 23.1.2002, p. 11.
(4) OJ L 179, 22.7.1993, p. 11.
(5) OJ L 53, 28.2.2003, p. 54.

L 196/44

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

2.8.2003

ANNEX

‘ANNEX I

Description of territories of South America established for animal health certification purposes

Country

Argentina

Code

AR

Territory

Version

1/2001

Whole country

Description of territory

AR-1

4/2002

The Provinces of Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Córdoba,
Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Formosa (except the territory of Ramón
Lista) (1), Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquén,
Río Negro, Salta (except the territory of Rivadavia) (1), San Juan,
San Luis, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, and Tucumán.

Brazil

AR-3

BR

BR-1

1/2002

Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego

1/1993

Whole country

2/2001

The States of: Rio Grande do Sul; Parana, Minas Gerais (except
regional delegations of Oliveira, Passos, São Gonçalo de Sapucai,
Setelagoas and Bambuí), São Paulo, Espirito Santo, Mato Grosso
do Sul
(except for the municipalities of Sete Quedas, Sonora,
Aquidauana, Bodoquena, Bonito, Caracol, Coxim, Jardim, Ladario,
Miranda, Pedro Gomes, Porto Murtinho, Rio Negro, Rio Verde of
Mato Grosso and Corumba), Santa Catarina Goias and the regional
units of Cuiaba (except for the municipalities of San Antonio de
Leverger, Nossa Senhora do Livramento, Pocone and Barão de
Melgaço), Caceres (except for the municipality of Caceres) Lucas
do Rio Verde, Rondonopolis (except
for the municipality of
Itiquiora), Barra do Garças and Barra do Bugres in Mato Grosso

BR-2

1/2002

Mato Grosso do Sul municipality of Sete Quedas

Chile

Colombia

CL

CO

1/1993

Whole country

1/1993

Whole country

CO-1

1/1993

The zone included within the following borderlines: from the
point where the Murri River flows into the Atrato River, down-
stream along the Atrato River to where it flows into the Atlantic
Ocean, from this point to the Panamanian border following the
Atlantic coastline to Cabo Tiburon; from this point to the Pacific
from this
Ocean following the Columbian-Panamanian border:
point to the mouth of the Valle River along the Pacific Coast and
from this point along a straight line to the point where the Murri
River flows into the Atrato River.

CO-2

1/1993

The municipalities of Arboletas, Necocli, San Pedro de Uraba,
Turbo, Apartado, Chigorodo, Mutata, Dabeiba, Uramita, Murindo,
Riosucio (right bank of the Atrato river) and Frontino.

CO-3

1/1993

The zone included within the following borderlines: from the
mouth of the Sinu River on the Atlantic Ocean, upstream along
the Sinu River to its headwaters of Alto Paramillo, from this point
to Puerto Rey on the Atlantic Ocean, following the borderline
between the Department of Antiquia and Cordoba, and from this
point to the mouth of the Sinu River along the Atlantic Coast.

Paraguay

Uruguay

PY

PY-1

UY

1/1993

Whole country

1/2002

Chaco central and San Pedro areas

1/2001

Whole country

(1) This exception applies only until 15 September 2003.’