2005/749/EC: Commission Decision of 24 October 2005 concerning certain protection measures in relation to a suspicion of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Croatia (notified under document number C(2005) 4229)   (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2005-10-24
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Croatia, EU Member State, animal disease, animal product, bird, import restriction, infectious disease, poultry

25.10.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 280/23

COMMISSION DECISION

of 24 October 2005

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

(notified under document number C(2005) 4229)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2005/749/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

other than poultry and hatching eggs of these species
from Croatia.

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(1) 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(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

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

Croatia has notified to the Commission the isolation of
an H5 avian influenza virus collected from a clinical case
in a wild species. The clinical picture allows the suspicion
of highly pathogenic avian influenza pending the deter-
mination of the neuraminidase (N) type and of the patho-
genicity index.

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,
ratites, farmed and wild feathered game birds, live birds

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

Act of Accession.

(2) OJ L 24, 31.1.1998, 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).

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

As Croatia 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
Croatia should be suspended for fresh meat of wild
feathered game and importation 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-
imports of wild feathered game meat
priate,
products originating in Croatia
and treated to a
temperature of at least 70 °C throughout the product
should continue to be authorised.

that

The measures provided for in this Decision shall be
reviewed
Standing
the next meeting of
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

the

at

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

L 280/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

25.10.2005

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

feed material containing any parts of poultry, ratites, farmed
or wild feathered game (*) obtained from birds slaughtered
before 1 August 2005 and in accordance with Article 1(2) of
Commission Decision 2005/749/EC.

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

___________
(*) Delete as appropriate.’

— 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,

— fresh meat of wild feathered game,

— meat preparations and meat products consisting of or

containing meat of wild feathered game,

— raw pet food and unprocessed feed material containing any

parts of wild feathered game,

— eggs for human consumption,

— non-treated game trophies from any birds, and

— unprocessed feathers and parts of feathers.

4.
By derogation from paragraph 1, Member States shall
authorise the importation of meat products consisting of or
containing meat of 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 Decision 2005/432/EC.

Article 2

shall ensure that
feathers or parts of

Member States
the importation of
commercial
processed
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

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

Member States shall immediately take the necessary measures to
comply with this Decision and publish those measures. They
shall immediately inform the Commission thereof.

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
containing meat of poultry,
ratites, farmed or wild feathered game meat/meat preparation
consisting of, or containing meat of poultry, ratites, farmed
or wild feathered game meat/raw pet food and unprocessed

consisting of, or

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 24 October 2005.

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission