2006/7/EC: Commission Decision of  9 January 2006  concerning certain protection measures in relation to the import of feathers from certain third countries  (notified under document number C(2006) 33)   (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2006-01-09
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: animal disease, animal product, health certificate, health control, import restriction, poultry, third country

10.1.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 5/17

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 9 January 2006

concerning certain protection measures in relation to the import of feathers from certain third
countries

(notified under document number C(2006) 33)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/7/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

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 (1), 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, including untreated feathers.

threat

Several outbreaks of avian influenza have been notified
by the Turkish authorities in backyard flocks in eastern
Anatolia. As the disease is likely to have been spread to
Turkey by migratory birds, the presence of the disease in
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq and Syria cannot
be excluded.

(3)

Currently no poultry products other
than untreated
feathers and parts thereof are authorised for imports
from the countries neighbouring Turkey.

(1) 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 in OJ L 191, 28.5.2004, p. 1).

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

In
accordance
2005/733/EC (2),
feathers are already suspended.

with
imports

Commission

Decision
from Turkey of untreated

As no further information is available on surveillance for
avian influenza in the countries neighbouring the eastern
part of Turkey, and in view of the animal health risk of
it is appro-
disease introduction into the Community,
priate to suspend imports of untreated feathers and
parts thereof from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran,
Iraq and Syria.

Consequently it
is appropriate to require proof of
treatment for imports of commercial consignments of
processed feathers from the third countries concerned.

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

Member States shall suspend the importation from the territory
of
the countries listed in the Annex to this Decision of
untreated feathers and parts of untreated feathers.

Article 2

The Member States shall ensure that when imported from the
territory of the countries listed in the Annex, consignments of
treated feathers or parts of treated feathers (excluding treated
decorative feathers, treated feathers carried by travelers for their
private use or consignments of treated feathers sent to private
individuals for non industrial purposes) are accompanied by a
commercial document stating that the treated feathers or parts
of treated feathers have been treated with a steam current or by
some other method ensuring the inactivation of the pathogen.

(2) OJ L 274, 20.10.2005, p. 102.

L 5/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

10.1.2006

Article 3

Article 5

shall

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

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 9 January 2006.

Article 4

This Decision shall apply until 30 April 2006.

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission

10.1.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 5/19

ANNEX

Countries as mentioned in Articles 1 and 2 of this Decision:
— Georgia
— Armenia
— Azerbaijan
— Iran
— Iraq
— Syria