2006/183/EC: Commission Decision of  28 February 2006  amending Decision 2006/7/EC as regards an extension of the list of countries and the period of application thereof  (notified under document number C(2006) 619)   (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2006-02-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: animal disease, animal product, health certificate, health control, import restriction, poultry

7.3.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 65/49

COMMISSION DECISION

of 28 February 2006

amending Decision 2006/7/EC as regards an extension of the list of countries and the period of
application thereof

(notified under document number C(2006) 619)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/183/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

recently. It appears that the disease has spread to those
countries by migratory birds.

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

(5)

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(6) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Avian influenza is an infectious viral disease in poultry
and other birds, causing mortality and disturbances
which can quickly take epizootic proportions liable to
to animal and public health
present a serious threat
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.

Following the outbreak of a very serious epidemic of
avian influenza, caused by a highly pathogenic H5N1
in in many countries in south-
influenza virus strain,
eastern Asia starting in December 2003, the Commission
adopted several protection measures in relation to avian
influenza, taking into account that this disease also poses
a significant risk to public health.

In accordance with Commission Decision 2006/7/EC of
9 January 2006 concerning certain protection measures
in relation to the import of feathers from certain third
countries (2),
imports of untreated feathers and parts
thereof have been suspended
third
countries. Those third countries are listed in the Annex
to Decision 2006/7/EC. That Decision is to apply until
30 April 2006.

from several

(4)

The number of the third countries with outbreaks or
suspected outbreaks of avian influenza have increased

(6)

(7)

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
in its
Scientific Opinion on Animal health and welfare aspects of
avian influenza adopted on 13 to 14 September 2005
concluded that in order to reduce the possible risk of
spreading both low pathogenic and highly pathogenic
avian influenza by feathers,
they should be properly
treated before being traded. This opinion was issued
before that the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza
virus had shown the tendency to spread on a global
scale.

to revise

the EFSA opinion and of
the Commission intends

the current
In light of
emergency,
the
existing permanent Community measures concerning
imports of feathers, in particular the relevant provisions
of Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of
the European
the Council of 3 October 2002
Parliament and of
laying down health rules
animal by-
concerning
intended for human consumption (3)
products not
laying down requirements under which animal by-
products may be imported from third countries in such
a way as not to pose a risk to public or animal health for
the Community. Chapter VIII of Annex VIII to that Regu-
lation sets out
the placing on the
market of feathers and parts of feathers. However, to
at
achieve
Community level provision would also need to be
made for
feathers and
feathers and the list of third countries from
parts of
which Member States authorise the import of
these
animal by-products.

import health certificates for

harmonisation in this

requirements for

complete

area

Due the rapid spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian
influenza over the last months, in view of the risk of the
introduction of avian influenza into the Community by
untreated feathers, for the increased health protection of
individuals handling import consignments of untreated
feathers and pending the revision of Chapter VIII of
Annex VIII to Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002, Decision
2006/7/EC should apply until 31 July 2006. It is also
appropriate to temporarily suspend the imports of
third
untreated feathers and parts
countries without prejudice
already
existing Community import restrictions due to highly
pathogenic avian influenza.

thereof
to any other

from all

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

(2) OJ L 5, 10.1.2006, p. 17.

(3) OJ L 273, 10.10.2002, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by
Commission Regulation (EC) No 208/2006 (OJ L 36, 8.2.2006,
p. 25).

L 65/50

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

7.3.2006

(8)

(9)

Decision 2006/7/EC should therefore be
accordingly.

amended

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

Decision 2006/7/EC is amended as follows:

1. In Article 4, the date ‘30 April 2006’ is replaced by ‘31 July

2006’.

2. The Annex is amended in accordance with the Annex to this

Decision.

Article 2

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

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 28 February 2006.

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission

ANNEX

The Annex to Decision 2006/7/EC is replaced by the following:

‘ANNEX

Countries as referred to in Articles 1 and 2 of this Decision:
All third countries’.