2003/658/EC: Commission Decision of 17 September 2003 amending Decision 93/402/EEC as regards imports of fresh meat from Argentina (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 3285)
Date: 2003-09-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Argentina, fresh meat, health certificate, import, originating product, veterinary inspection

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 232/59

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 17 September 2003

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

(notified under document number C(2003) 3285)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2003/658/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 Article 14(3) thereof,

Having regard to 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) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

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

The Commission was informed of an outbreak of foot-
and-mouth disease in Paraguay close to the border with
Argentina and Decision 2003/576/EC was taken to
suspend the importation of de-boned and matured

(1) OJ L 302, 31.12.1972, p. 28.
(2) OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 36.
(3) OJ L 18, 23.1.2003, p. 11.
(4) OJ L 179, 22.7.1993, p. 11.
(5) OJ L 196, 2.8.2003, p. 43.

(3)

(4)

(5)

bovine meat from the departments of Ramón Lista in
the province of Formosa and Rivadavia in the province
of Salta in Argentina.

However,
the Argentine authorities have notified an
outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the department of
General José de San Martín, also in the province of Salta.

The Argentine veterinary authorities immediately put in
place measures to avoid the further spread of the disease
within Argentine territory,
in particular providing for
vaccination of and movement controls for animals of
the susceptible species. The Argentine authorities imme-
diately informed the Commission Services about these
measures.

However,
in view of the potential risk of disease and
following the action taken by the competent veterinary
authorities of Argentina,
importation of de-boned and
matured bovine meat into the EU should be suspended
on a regional basis from the departments of General José
de San Martín, Rivadavia, Orán, Iruya, and Santa Victoria
in the province of Salta and from the department of
Ramón Lista in the province of Formosa.

(6)

Decision 93/402/EEC should be amended accordingly.

(7)

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,

L 232/60

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

18.9.2003

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 3

Article 1

This Decision shall apply from 17 September 2003.

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

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 4

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.

Done at Brussels, 17 September 2003.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 232/61

ANNEX

‘ANNEX I

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

COUNTRY

Argentina

Brazil

Chile

Colombia

CODE

AR

AR-1

AR-3

BR

BR-1

BR-2

CL

CO

CO-1

TERRITORY

VERSION

1/2001

Whole country

DESCRIPTION OF TERRITORY

5/2002

The provinces of Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Córdoba,
Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Formosa (except the territory of Ramón
Lista), Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen,
Rio Negro, Salta (except the departments of General José de San
Martín, Rivadavia, Orán, Iruya, and Santa Victoria), San Juan, San
Luis, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, and Tucuman.

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.

1/2002

Mato Grosso do Sul, municipality of Sete Quedas

1/1993

Whole country

1/1993

Whole country

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
Ocean following the Colombian-Panamanian border;
from this
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 Córdoba, 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’