2006/168/EC: Commission Decision of  4 January 2006  establishing the animal health and veterinary certification requirements for imports into the Community of bovine embryos and repealing Decision 2005/217/EC  (notified under document number C(2005) 5796)   (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2006-01-04
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: artificial insemination, cattle, domestic animal, embryo and foetus, health certificate, health control, import (EU), import licence, third country, veterinary inspection

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COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 4 January 2006

establishing the animal health and veterinary certification requirements for imports into the
Community of bovine embryos and repealing Decision 2005/217/EC

(notified under document number C(2005) 5796)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/168/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Council Directive 89/556/EEC of 25
September 1989 on animal health conditions governing intra-
Community trade in and importation from third countries of
embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species (1), and in
particular Article 7(1) and Article 9(1)(b) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

animal health
Directive 89/556/EEC sets out
conditions governing intra-Community trade in and
importation from third countries of
fresh and frozen
embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species.

the

inter alia, that bovine embryos
That Directive provides,
are not to be sent from one Member State to another
unless they have been conceived by artificial
insemi-
in vitro fertilisation using semen from a
nation or
semen collection centre
a
standing at
sire
donor
approved by the competent authority for the collection,
processing and storage of semen or semen imported in
accordance with Council Directive 88/407/EEC of 14
June 1988 laying down the animal health requirements
applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of
semen of domestic animals of the bovine species (2).

(3)

Commission Decision 92/452/EEC of 30 July 1992
establishing lists of
and
embryo production teams approved in third countries
for export of bovine embryos to the Community (3),

embryo collection teams

(1) OJ L 302, 19.10.1989, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Regulation

(EC) No 806/2003 (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1).
(2) OJ L 194, 22.7.1988, p. 10. Directive as

last amended by

Commission Decision 2004/101/EC (OJ L 30, 4.2.2004, p. 15).
(3) OJ L 250, 29.8.1992, p. 40. Decision as last amended by Decision

2005/774/EC (OJ L 291, 5.11.2005, p. 46).

(4)

(5)

(6)

provides that Member States are to import such embryos
from third countries only if they have been collected,
including in vitro fertilisation, and stored by
processed,
embryo collection teams included in the lists in that
Decision.

relating to new,

stricter
Following trade problems
requirements for bovine semen used for
fertilisation
introduced by Commission Decision 92/471/EEC (4),
the Commission adopted Decision 2005/217/EC of 9
March 2005 establishing the animal health conditions
and
for
requirements
imports into the Community of bovine embryos (5).

certification

veterinary

the

Decision 2005/217/EC allows for a transitional period
expiring on 31 December 2006 for imports of bovine
embryos collected or produced before 1 January 2006
and conceived using semen not fully complying with
Directive 88/407/EEC on condition that such embryos
are implanted into female bovine animals present
in
the Member State of destination and are excluded from
intra-Community trade.

embryos
the

The International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS) has
assessed as negligible the risk of transmission of certain
to recipients or
contagious diseases
via
are handled
offspring, provided that
transfer.
properly between their collection and their
That position is also that of the World Organisation
in vivo derived
for Animal Health (OIE) as
embryos are concerned. Nevertheless, in the interests of
animal health, appropriate safeguards should be taken
upstream with regard to semen used for fertilisation, in
particular with respect to in vitro generated embryos.

embryos

far as

(4) OJ L 270, 15.9.1992, p. 27. Decision as last amended by Decision

2004/786/EC (OJ L 346, 23.11.2004, p. 32).

(5) OJ L 69, 16.3.2005, p. 41.

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(7)

(8)

Community requirements for imports of bovine embryos
derived by natural (in vivo) fertilisation and produced by
in vitro fertilisation, in particular as regards semen used
for fertilisation, should therefore be adapted.

requirements set out
Annex II.

in the model veterinary certificate in

In the light of the risk assessment carried out by the IETS
and in line with the recommendations of the OIE, the
conditions governing imports of in vivo derived bovine
embryos should be simplified while stricter animal health
requirements should be maintained for imports of in vitro
produced embryos, with special restrictions where the
zona pellucida has been damaged during the process.

Article 3

Imports of in vitro produced embryos

1. Member States shall authorise imports of embryos which
are produced by in vitro fertilisation using semen complying
with Directive 88/407/EEC and which meet the animal health
requirements set out
in the model veterinary certificate in
Annex III to this Decision.

(9)

In the interests of clarity of Community legislation,
Decision 2005/217/EC should be repealed and replaced
by this Decision.

(10) However, in order to enable economic operators to adapt
to the new requirements set out in this Decision it is
appropriate to provide for a transitional period whereby
imports of embryos of domestic animals of the bovine
species collected or produced before 1 January 2006
may, subject
to certain conditions, be imported into
the Community according to the requirements set out
in Annex V to this Decision.

(11)

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

in this Decision are in
Standing
the

opinion

the

of

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

General conditions for imports of embryos

Member States shall authorise imports of embryos of domestic
animals of the bovine species (embryos) collected or produced
in a third country listed in Annex I
to this Decision by
approved embryo collection or production teams listed in the
Annex to Decision 92/452/EEC.

2. Member States shall authorise imports of embryos which
are produced by in vitro fertilisation using semen produced in
approved semen collection centres or stored in semen storage
centres in third countries listed in Annex I to Commission
Decision 2004/639/EC (1) and which comply with the animal
health requirements set out in the model veterinary certificate in
Annex IV to this Decision on condition that such embryos are:

(a) excluded from intra-Community trade; and

(b) implanted exclusively into female bovine animals present in
the Member State of destination indicated in the veterinary
certificate.

Article 4

Transitional measures

By way of derogation from Articles 2 and 3, Member States
shall authorise, until 31 December 2006, the importation of
embryos from the third countries listed in Annex I provided
that such embryos comply with:

(a)

the animal health requirements
veterinary certificate in Annex V; and

set out

in the model

(b) the following conditions:

Article 2

Imports of in vivo derived embryos

(i)

they must be collected or produced before 1 January
2006;

Member States shall authorise imports of embryos derived by in
vivo
animal health

fertilisation and complying with the

(1) OJ L 292, 15.9.2004, p. 21.

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(ii)

they must only be used for implantation into female
bovine animals present in the Member State of desti-
nation indicated in the veterinary certificate;

Article 6

Applicability

This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2006.

(iii) they must be excluded from intra-Community trade;

Article 7

Addressees

(iv) they must be accompanied by such a certificate duly

completed before 1 January 2007.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 5

Repeal

Decision 2005/217/EC is repealed.

Done at Brussels, 4 January 2006.

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission

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ISO code

Country

Applicable Veterinary Certificate

Remarks

ANNEX I

The additional guarantees set out in
point 11.5.2 of
the certificate in
Annex II and in points 11.6.2 of
the certificates in Annexes III and IV
are compulsory.

AR

AU

CA

CH

HR

IL

MK

NZ

RO

US

Argentina

Australia

ANNEX II

ANNEX III

ANNEX IV

ANNEX II

ANNEX III

ANNEX IV

Canada

ANNEX II

ANNEX III

ANNEX IV

Switzerland (*)

ANNEX II

ANNEX III

ANNEX IV

Croatia

Israel

Former Yugoslav
Republic of
Macedonia (**)

ANNEX II

ANNEX III

ANNEX IV

ANNEX II

ANNEX III

ANNEX IV

ANNEX II

ANNEX III

ANNEX IV

New Zealand

ANNEX II

ANNEX III

ANNEX IV

Romania

ANNEX II

ANNEX III

ANNEX IV

United States of
America

ANNEX II

ANNEX III

ANNEX IV

(*) Without prejudice to specific certification requirements provided for by any relevant Community agreement with third countries.
(**) Provisional code that does not affect the definitive denomination of the country to be attributed after the conclusion of the

negotiations currently taking place in the United Nations.

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ANNEX II

In vivo derived embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species for import, collected in accordance with
Council Directive 89/556/EEC

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ANNEX III

In vitro produced embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species for import, conceived using semen
complying with Council Directive 88/407/EEC

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ANNEX IV

In vitro produced embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species conceived using semen coming from
semen collection or storage centres approved by the competent authority of the exporting country

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ANNEX V

VETERINARY CERTIFICATE EMBRYOS OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS OF THE BOVINE SPECIES FOR IMPORTS
COLLECTED OR PRODUCED BEFORE 1 JANUARY 2006

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