Commission Regulation (EC) No 688/2006 of  4 May 2006  amending Annexes III and XI to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the monitoring of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and specified risk material of bovine animals in Sweden   (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2006-05-04
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Sweden, animal disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, cattle, disease prevention, health control, veterinary inspection

L 120/10

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

5.5.2006

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 688/2006

of 4 May 2006

amending Annexes III and XI to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of
the Council as regards the monitoring of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and specified
risk material of bovine animals in Sweden

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(3)

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 laying down
rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain
transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (1), and in particular
the first paragraph of Article 23 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 lays down rules for the
monitoring of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
(TSE) in bovine, ovine and caprine animals.

the

European

Commission

excluded. On the basis of

In its opinion of 6 July 2000, the Scientific Steering
Committee
SSC
of
the occurrence of bovine spongiform
concluded that
in native cattle in Sweden was
encephalopathies (BSE)
unlikely, but not
that
opinion, Regulation
(EC) No 999/2001 provides
Sweden with a derogation to examine only a random
sample of healthy slaughtered bovine animals born and
reared on its territory. In its updated opinion adopted in
July 2004 on the geographical BSE risk of Sweden the
European Food Safety Authority supported this position
classifying Sweden in GBR category II,
is
unlikely domestic cattle are infected with BSE-agent,
In addition, Sweden could benefit
but not excluded.
from a derogation to allow the use of
the vertebral
column and dorsal root ganglia from bovine animals
under
Sweden never
applied that derogation.

certain conditions. However,

that

i.e.

it

On 3 March 2006 the Community Reference Laboratory
for TSEs confirmed the first case of BSE in Sweden.
Therefore, as the occurrence of BSE in native cattle
may no longer be considered unlikely,
it is no longer
appropriate that Sweden should benefit from derogations
in respect of the monitoring of healthy slaughter cattle
and of the age limit for the removal of vertebral column
from bovine animals.

Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 should therefore be
amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with
Standing
Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health,

opinion

the

the

of

(4)

(5)

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The Annexes to Regulation (EC) 999/2001 are amended as
follows:

(a)

in Annex III, Part I of Chapter A, point 2.3 is deleted;

(b) in Annex XI, Part A, the second subparagraph of point 2 is

replaced by the following:
‘Member States may apply for this derogation by submitting
conclusive
the Commission
evidence
regarding point (a) or (b), as appropriate’.

supporting

to

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 4 May 2006.

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 147, 31.5.2001, p. 1. Regulation as

last amended by
Commission Regulation (EC) No 657/2006 (OJ L 116, 29.4.2006,
p. 9).