2003/758/EC: Commission Decision of 20 October 2003 amending Decision 93/402/EEC as regards imports of fresh meat from Argentina (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 3827)
Date: 2003-10-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Argentina, foot-and-mouth disease, fresh meat, health certificate, import, originating product, veterinary inspection

L 272/16

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

23.10.2003

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 20 October 2003

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

(notified under document number C(2003) 3827)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2003/758/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),

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/
658/EC (5), applies to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,
Paraguay and Uruguay.

The Commission was informed of an outbreak of foot
and mouth disease in Argentina in the department of
General José de San Martin in the province of Salta and
Decision 2003/658/EC was taken to suspend the impor-
tation of boned and matured bovine meat
from the
departments of General José de San Martin, Rivadavia,
Oran, Iruya, and Santa Victoria in the province of Salta
and from the department of Ramón Lista in the province
of Formosa.

(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 232, 18.9.2003, p. 59.

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

However,
the Argentinean veterinary authorities have
informed the Commission Services on 19 September
2003 that they have enlarged the area under restriction
in order to prevent a further spread of the disease in
other parts of Argentina, and to create a buffer zone
along the borders with other countries.

The new area put under restriction by the Argentinean
veterinary authorities covers the departments of Matacos
and Bermejo in the province of Formosa, the department
of Almirante Brown in the province of Chaco and the
department of Patiño in the province of Formosa.

From the information requested from and provided by
the Argentinean veterinary authorities, it is not possible
to fully assess the situation in the concerned areas
because it is not clear exactly what measures are applied
to the animals in these territories and what are the
results of the sampling being carried out.

In view of this uncertainty and in order to safeguard the
animal health situation in the European Community it is
prudent to temporarily suspend importation of boned
and matured bovine meat on a regional basis from the
whole territory of the provinces of Formosa, Chaco and
Salta and in addition the province of Jujuy because of its
geographical position.

However, in the absence of clear evidence of disease in
these additional areas of Argentina, the importation into
the Community of boned and matured bovine fresh
meat for human consumption and boned meat and offal
for petfood slaughtered, produced and certified before
the 8 October 2003 should be permitted.

23.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 272/17

(8)

(9)

Decision 93/402/EEC should be amended accordingly.

Article 2

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,

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.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 3

Article 1

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Decision 93/402/EEC is amended as follows:

Done at Brussels, 20 October 2003.

1. Annex I is replaced by the text in the Annex I to this

Decision,

2. Annex II is replaced by the text in the Annex II to this

Decision.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

L 272/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

23.10.2003

ANNEX I

‘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

AR-4

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, Córdoba, Corrientes,
Entre Ríos, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio
Negro, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero and
Tucuman

1/2002

Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego

1/2003

The Provinces of Chaco, Formosa (except the territory of Ramón
Lista), Jujuy, Salta (except the departments of General José de San
Martín, Rivadavia, Orán, Iruya and Santa Victoria

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
for the municipality of
do Rio Verde, Rondonopolis (except
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 Columbian-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 head-waters 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’

ANNEX II

‘ANNEX II

Animal health guarantees requested on certification (1)

Model certificate for fresh meat excluding offal

Model certificate for offal

Country

Territory

Species

Bovine

Ovine/
caprine

Porcine

Soliped

HC

of bovine animals

MP

of ovines

soliped

Argentina

AR

Brazil

Chile

Colombia

AR-1

AR-3

AR-4

BR

BR-1

BR-2

CL

CO

CO-1

CO-2

CO-3

Paraguay

PY

PY-1

Uruguay

UY

—

A (4)

B (6)

A (10)

—

A (3)

A (8)

B

—

A

—

A

—

A (7)

A (2)

—

—

B (6)

—

—

—

—

B

—

—

—

—

—

—

C (2)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

H

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

1

—

—

2

—

—

3

—

—

4

—

—

—

—

B (6)

B (6)

B (6)

B (6)

B (6)

—

—

—

—

B

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

B

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

B

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

B

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

B

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

PF

—

F (5)

B (6)

F (10)

—

F (3)

F (9)

B

—

—

—

—

—

F (7)

F

HC

—

—

PF

—

—

B (6)

B (6)

—

—

—

—

B

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

B

—

—

—

—

—

—

G

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

.

2
3
1
0
2
0
0
3

.

E
N

O

f
f
i
c
i
a
l

J
o
u
r
n
a
l

o
f

t
h
e

E
u
r
o
p
e
a
n
U
n
o
n

i

L

2
7
2
/
1
9

HC Human consumption.

MP Destined for heat-treated meat products industry:

1 = hearts.
2 = livers.
3 = masseter muscles.
4 = tongues.

PF Destined for the pet food industry.
(1)

(2)
(3)
(4)

(5)

(6)
(7)

The letters (A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H) appearing in the table, refer to the models of animal health guarantees as described in part 2 of Annex III, to be applied for each product and origin in accordance with Article 2; a dash (—)
indicates that imports are not authorised.
Only to be used for boned meat from animals slaughtered after 1 November 2001.
In the case of Rio Grande do Sul only to be used for boned meat from bovine animals and offal for pet food from animals slaughtered after 30 November 2001.
Only to be used for boned meat from bovine animals slaughtered after 31 January 2002 — except in the cases of La Pampa and Santiago del Estero for which the date is 8 March 2002 and of Córdoba for which the date is 26 March
2002.
Only to be used for offal for pet food from bovine animals slaughtered after 31 January 2002 except in the cases of La Pampa and Santiago del Estero for which the date is 8 March 2002 and of Córdoba for which the date is 26 March
2002.
Only to be used for fresh meat (including offal) from ovine, caprine and bovine animals slaughtered after 1 March 2002 in the provinces of Chubut, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego.
Only to be used for boned meat for human consumption and boned meat and offal for pet food from bovine animals slaughtered, produced and certified after 1 September 2002 and before 20 February 2003 and en route to the
Community prior to the 20 February 2003.
Only to be used for boned meat from bovine animals slaughtered before 31 October 2002.
Only to be used for offal for pet food from bovine animals slaughtered before 31 October 2002.

(8)
(9)
(10) Only to be used for boned meat for human consumption and boned meat and offal for pet food from bovine animals slaughtered, produced and certified before 8 October 2003.’

L

2
7
2
/
2
0

E
N

O

f
f
i
c
i
a
l

J
o
u
r
n
a
l

o
f

t
h
e

E
u
r
o
p
e
a
n
U
n
o
n

i

.

2
3
1
0
2
0
0
3

.