2004/824/EC: Commission Decision of 1 December 2004 establishing a model health certificate for non-commercial movements of dogs, cats and ferrets from third countries into the Community (notified under document number C(2004) 4421)Text with EEA relevance
Date: 2004-12-01
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: customs document, domestic animal, surveillance concerning imports, transport of animals, veterinary inspection

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COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 1 December 2004

establishing a model health certificate for non-commercial movements of dogs, cats and ferrets from
third countries into the Community

(notified under document number C(2004) 4421)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2004/824/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(3)

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Commission Decision 2004/539/EC of 1 July 2004
establishing a transitional measure for the implemen-
tation of Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 on the animal
health requirements applicable to the non-commercial
movement of pet animals (4) allows until 1 October
2004 the coexistence of certificates issued in conformity
with Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 or with the national
rules which were in force before 3 July 2004.

Having regard to the Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on
to the non-
the
commercial movement of pet animals and amending Council
Directive 92/65/EEC (1), and in particular Article 8(4) thereof,

animal health requirements

applicable

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 establishes conditions for
non-commercial movements of dogs, cats and ferrets
into the Community. These
from third countries
conditions differ depending on the status of the third
country of origin and of the Member State of destination.

Commission Decision 2004/203/EC of 18 February
2004 establishing a model health certificate for non-
commercial movements from third countries of dogs,
cats and ferrets (2) establishes the model certificate to
such
accompany
the
when
for which a Corrigendum (3) has been
Community,
published.

entering

animals

(1) OJ L 146, 13.6.2003, p. 1. Regulation as

last amended by
Commission Regulation (EC) No 592/2004 (OJ L 94, 31.3.2004,
p. 7).

(2) OJ L 65, 3.3.2004, p. 13. Decision as amended by Decision

2004/301/EC (OJ L 98, 2.4.2004, p. 55).

(3) OJ L 111, 17.4.2004, p. 83.

(4)

By Council Decision 2004/650/EC of 13 September
2004 amending Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 of the
European Parliament and of the Council on the animal
health requirements applicable to the non-commercial
movement of pet animals
the
accession of Malta (5), Malta was added to the list of
countries in Part A of Annex II to the Regulation. Conse-
quently specific provisions applying to entries of pet
animals into Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom
should be extended to Malta.

to take account of

(5)

For the sake of clarity Decision 2004/203/EC should be
repealed and replaced by this Decision.

(6)

In view of the very specific nature of the animals and
movements concerned, it is appropriate to facilitate the
drawing up and use of the certificate for the veterinarians
and travelers concerned.

(4) OJ L 237, 8.7.2004, p. 21.
(5) OJ L 298, 23.9.2004, p. 22.

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(7)

(8)

Since Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 and Decision
2004/203/EC, as replaced by the present Decision, are
to apply from 3 July 2004, this Decision should also
apply without delay.

Notwithstanding the rules applying to movements to
3.
Malta, Member States shall accept a certificate of the model in
the Annex to Decision 2004/203/EC.

The measures provided for
accordance with
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

in this Decision are in
Standing
the

opinion

the

of

Article 3

1.
The certificate referred to in Article 1 shall consist of a
single sheet drawn up at least in the language of the Member
State of entry and in English. It shall be completed in block
letters in the language of the Member State of entry or in
English.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The certificate referred to in Article 1 shall be issued as

2.
follows:

1.
This Decision establishes the model certificate and its
conditions of use for non-commercial movements from third
countries of pet animals of the species dogs, cats and ferrets,
provided for in Article 8(4) of Regulation (EC) No 998/2003.

(a) Parts I to V of the certificate shall:

The model certificate is set out

2.
Decision.

in the Annex to this

(i) either be completed and signed by an official veteri-
narian designated by the competent authority of the
country of dispatch, or

Article 2

1.
The certificate referred to in Article 1(2) shall be required
for non-commercial movements of pet animals of the species
dogs, cats and ferrets (the pet animals) coming from:

(ii) be completed and signed by a veterinary surgeon
authorised by the competent authority, and subse-
quently endorsed by the competent authority;

(a) all third countries and entering into a Member State other
than Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and

(b) Parts VI and VII, where applicable, shall be completed and
signed by a veterinarian authorised to practice veterinary
medicine in the country of dispatch.

(b) third countries listed in Section 2 of Part B and in Part C of
Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 and entering into
Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The certi-
ficate shall not be used for animals from or prepared in
third countries not listed in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No
998/2003, when moving to Ireland, Malta, Sweden or the
in which case Article 8(1)(b)(ii) of the
United Kingdom,
Regulation shall apply.

By way of derogation from paragraph 1, Member States
2.
shall authorise the non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and
ferrets accompanied by a passport in accordance with the model
established by Commission Decision 2003/803/EC (1)
from
those third countries listed in Section 2 of Part B of Annex II
to Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 which have notified the
Commission and the Member States of their intention to use
the passport instead of the certificate.

(1) OJ L 312, 27.11.2003, p. 1.

The certificate shall be accompanied by supporting docu-
3.
mentation, or a certified copy thereof,
including the identifi-
cation details of the animal concerned, vaccination details and
the result of the serological test.

4.
The certificate is valid for intra-Community movements
for a period of four months from the date of issue or until
the date of expiry of
IV,
whichever is earlier.

the vaccination shown in Part

Article 4

The vaccination required in Part IV shall be carried out by use
of an inactivated vaccine produced at least in accordance with
the standards described in the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and
Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals, latest edition, of the Office Inter-
national des Epizooties.

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Article 5

Article 6

1. Member States shall ensure that the conditions provided
for in Article 8(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 are only
applied to pet animals from a third country listed in Section 2
of Part B or in Part C of Annex II to that Regulation under-
taking:
— either a direct journey to the Member State of entry, or
— a journey between the third country of dispatch and the
Member State of entry including a residence exclusively in
one or more countries listed in Section 2 of Part B or in
Part C of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 998/2003.

By way of derogation to paragraph 1, the journey may
2.
include transiting a third country not listed in Annex II to
Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 by air or sea, if the pet animal
remains within the perimeter of an international airport in such
a country or remains secured within the vessel.

Decision 2004/203/EC is repealed.

Article 7

This Decision shall apply from 6 December 2004.

Article 8

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 1 December 2004.

For the Commission

David BYRNE
Member of the Commission

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Model of health certificate for the non-commercial movement from third countries of pet animals of the domestic species
dogs, cats and ferrets, as provided for in Article 8(4) of Regulation (EC) No 998/2003.

ANNEX

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