2005/710/EC: Commission Decision of 13 October 2005 concerning certain protection measures in relation to a suspicion of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Romania (notified under document number C(2005) 4068)   (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2005-10-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Romania, animal disease, animal product, import restriction, poultry, veterinary inspection

L 269/42

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

14.10.2005

COMMISSION DECISION

of 13 October 2005

concerning certain protection measures in relation to a suspicion of highly pathogenic avian
influenza in Romania

(notified under document number C(2005) 4068)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2005/710/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

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
89/662/EEC,
90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC (1), and in particular Article 18
thereof,

amending Directives

countries

and

Having regard to Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December
1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of
veterinary checks on products entering the Community from
third countries (2), and in particular Article 22 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Avian influenza is an infectious viral disease in poultry
and birds, causing mortality and disturbances which can
quickly take epizootic proportions liable to present a
serious
to animal and public health and to
reduce sharply the profitability of poultry farming.
There is a risk that the disease agent might be introduced
via international
trade in live poultry and poultry
products.

threat

On 12 October 2005 Romania has notified to the
Commission the isolation of an H5 avian influenza
virus collected from a clinical case. The clinical picture
allows the suspicion of highly pathogenic avian influenza
pending the determination of the neuraminidase (N) type
and of the pathogenicity index.

(3)

In view of the animal health risk of disease introduction
into the Community,
it is therefore appropriate as an
immediate measure to suspend imports of live poultry,

(1) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56. Directive as last amended by the 2003

Act of Accession.

(2) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 9. Directive as last amended by Regulation
(EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council
(OJ L 165, 30.4.2004, p. 1; corrected version in OJ L 191,
28.5.2004, p. 1).

ratites, farmed and wild feathered game birds, live birds
other than poultry and hatching eggs of these species
from Romania.

As Romania is authorised for imports of game trophies,
eggs for human consumption and untreated feathers,
imports into the Community of these products should
be suspended as well because of the animal health risk
involved.

Furthermore the importation into the Community from
Romania should be suspended for fresh meat of poultry,
ratites and wild and farmed feathered game and impor-
tation of meat preparations and meat products consisting
of or containing meat of those species.

Certain products derived from poultry slaughtered before
1 August 2005 should also continue to be authorised,
taking into account the incubation period of the disease.

Commission Decision 2005/432/EC of 3 June 2005
laying down the animal and public health conditions
and model certificates for imports of meat products for
human consumption from third countries and repealing
Decisions 97/41/EC, 97/221/EC and 97/222/EC (3) lays
down the list of third countries from which Member
States may authorise the importation of meat products
and establishes treatment regimes considered effective in
inactivating the respective pathogens. In order to prevent
the risk of disease transmission via such products,
appropiate treatment must be applied depending on the
health status of the country of origin and the species the
product is obtained from.
It appears therefore appro-
priate, that imports of poultry meat products originating
in Romania and treated to a temperature of at least 70 °C
be
throughout
authorised.

continue

product

should

the

to

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

in this Decision are in
Standing
the

opinion

the

of

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(3) OJ L 151, 14.6.2005, p. 3.

14.10.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 269/43

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1. Member States shall suspend the importation from the
territory of Romania of:

— live poultry, ratites, farmed and wild feathered game,
live
third
birds other than poultry as defined in Article 1,
indent, of Decision 2000/666/EC,
including birds accom-
panying their owners (pet birds), and hatching eggs of
these species,

birds slaughtered before 1 August 2005 and in accordance
with Article 1(2) of Commission Decision 2005/710/EC.

___________
(A) Delete as appropriate.’

4.
By derogation from paragraph 1, Member States shall
authorise the importation of meat products consisting of or
containing meat of poultry, ratites, farmed and wild feathered
game under the condition that the meat of these species has
undergone at least one of the specific treatments referred to
under points B, C or D in Part IV of Annex II to Commission
Decision 2005/432/EC.

— fresh meat of poultry, ratites, farmed and wild feathered

Article 2

game,

— meat preparations and meat products consisting of or

containing meat of those species,

— raw pet food and unprocessed feed material containing any

parts of those species,

— eggs for human consumption,

— non-treated game trophies from any birds, and

— unprocessed feathers and parts of feathers.

By way of derogation from paragraph 1, Member States
2.
the products covered by
shall authorise the importation of
paragraph 1 first to fourth indent, which have been obtained
from birds slaughtered before 1 August 2005.

In the

veterinary

documents
3.
accompanying consignments of
the products referred to in
paragraph 2 the following words as appropriate to the species
shall be included:

certificates/commercial

‘Fresh poultry meat/fresh ratite meat/fresh meat of wild
feathered game/fresh meat of farmed feathered game/meat
product consisting of, or containing meat of poultry, ratites,
farmed or wild feathered game meat/meat preparation
consisting of, or
ratites,
farmed or wild feathered game meat/raw pet
food and
unprocessed feed material containing any parts of poultry,
farmed or wild feathered game (A) obtained from
ratites,

containing meat of poultry,

shall ensure that
feathers or parts of

the importation of
Member States
processed
commercial
document stating that the processed feathers or parts thereof
have been treated with a steam current or by some other
method
transmitted
ensuring
accompany the consignment.

for
feathers,

pathogens

that

are

no

a

However, that commercial document shall not be required for
processed decorative feathers, processed feathers carried by
travellers for their private use or consignments of processed
feathers sent to private individuals for non-industrial purpose.

Article 3

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
immediately inform the Commission
adopted. They shall
thereof.

Article 4

This Decision shall apply until 30 April 2006.

Article 5

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 13 October 2005.

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission