2003/845/EC: Commission Decision of 5 December 2003 concerning protective measures with regard to imports of certain animals, their semen, ova and embryos from Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro in relation to blue tongue (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 4526)
Date: 2003-12-05
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, animal breeding, animal disease, health control, import, originating product

6.12.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 321/61

COMMISSION DECISION

of 5 December 2003

concerning protective measures with regard to imports of certain animals, their semen, ova and
embryos from Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro in
relation to blue tongue

(notified under document number C(2003) 4526)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2003/845/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), and in particular Article 18 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

By Commission Decision 2001/706/EC of 27 September
2001 concerning protective measures with regard to
imports of certain animals and their products from
the Former Yugoslav Republic of
Albania, Bulgaria,
Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in
relation to blue tongue (2) the import of live animals of
blue tongue-susceptible species
from
those third countries where outbreaks of blue tongue
had been notified, was prohibited.

ruminants)

(all

On the basis of information received, Bulgaria may now
be regarded as a blue tongue-free country. The situation
in Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
and Serbia and Montenegro (the former Yugoslavia)
remains unchanged.

In the interest of clarity of Community legislation, Deci-
sion 2001/706/EC should therefore be repealed and
replaced by this Decision.

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

2. Member States shall not authorise the imports of semen,
ova and embryos of blue tongue-susceptible species originating
in Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and
Serbia and Montenegro.

Article 2

1.
By way of derogation to Article 1(1) Member States may
allow import of live animals of the blue tongue-susceptible
species having transited through Albania, the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro, provided
that this does not endanger the status in relation to blue tongue
of the Member State concerned

The Member States shall keep the Commission informed
2.
about the criteria applied for granting the derogation provided
for in paragraph 1.

Article 3

Decision 2001/706/EC is repealed.

References to the repealed Decision shall be construed as
references to this Decision.

Article 4

This Decision shall apply from 9 December 2003.

Article 5

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Done at Brussels, 5 December 2003.

1. Member States shall not authorise the imports of live
animals of blue tongue-susceptible species originating in or
transiting through Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56. Directive as last amended by Directive

96/43/EC (OJ L 162, 1.7.1996, p. 1).

(2) OJ L 260, 28.9.2001, p. 37.