2008/635/EC: Commission Decision of 22 July 2008 on imports of semen, ova and embryos of the ovine and caprine species into the Community as regards lists of third countries and of semen collection centres and embryo collection teams, and certification requirements (notified under document number C(2008) 3625) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2008-07-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: animal breeding, goat, health control, import licence, sheep, third country, veterinary inspection

2.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 206/17

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 22 July 2008

on imports of semen, ova and embryos of the ovine and caprine species into the Community as
regards lists of third countries and of semen collection centres and embryo collection teams, and
certification requirements

(notified under document number C(2008) 3625)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/635/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(3)

for ova and
regards collection centres
However, as
embryos of the ovine and caprine species, for the sake
of consistency of Community legislation, and taking into
account international nomenclature,
it is more appro­
priate to use the term ‘embryo collection teams’ instead
of ‘collection centres’ in that case.

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Council Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992
laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and
imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and
embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down
to
in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A(I)
Directive 90/425/EEC (1), and in particular Article 17(2)(b),
Article 17(3), the first indent of Article 18(1), and the intro­
ductory phrase and point (b) of Article 19 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Directive 92/65/EEC lays down the
animal health
requirements governing trade in and imports into the
Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not
subject to the animal health requirements laid down in
the specific Community acts referred to therein. It also
provides for the establishment of a list of those third
countries or parts of third countries, able to provide
guarantees
in
from which Member States may
Chapter
II
import semen, ova and embryos of
the ovine and
caprine species.

equivalent
therein,

provided

those

for

to

(2)

Directive 92/65/EEC also provides for the establishment
of a list of semen and embryo collection centres in third
countries, for which those third countries are able to give
the guarantees referred to in Article 11 of that Directive.

(1) OJ L 268, 14.9.1992, p. 54. Directive as

last amended by
Commission Decision 2007/265/EC (OJ L 114, 1.5.2007, p. 17).

(4)

(5)

(6)

that

the ovine and caprine

semen, ova and
Directive 92/65/EEC provides
embryos of
to be
imported into the Community are to be accompanied
by health certificates, models of which are to be estab­
lished in accordance with that Directive.

species

Directive 92/65/EEC also provides for the establishment
of the specific animal health requirements or guarantees
equivalent to those provided for in that Directive, for
imports
and
embryos of the ovine and caprine species.

into the Community of

semen, ova

third countries

Commission Decision 94/63/EC of 31 January 1994
from which
drawing up a list of
Member States authorise imports of semen, ova and
embryos of the ovine and caprine species and ova and
embryos of the porcine species (2) provides that Member
States are to authorise imports of semen, ova and
embryos of
the ovine and caprine species from the
third countries appearing in the list in the Annex to
Council Decision 79/542/EEC (3),
from which imports
of
the ovine and caprine species are
authorised.

live animals of

(2) OJ L 28, 2.2.1994, p. 47. Decision as last amended by Decision

2004/211/EC (OJ L 73, 11.3.2004, p. 1).
(3) OJ L 146, 14.6.1979, p. 15. Decision as

last amended by

Commission Decision 2008/61/EC (OJ L 15, 18.1.2008, p. 33).

L 206/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

2.8.2008

(7)

94/63/EC has
Decision
Commission Decision 2008/636/EC (1).

now been

repealed

by

(13)

be

carried

Certain infectious diseases of animals of the ovine and
caprine species are transmissible via semen. Therefore,
particular animal health tests identifying such diseases
test
must
out
the donors
programmes reflecting the movements of
prior to, and during, the period of semen collection.
Those tests and test programmes should be in line
with international standards and therefore indicated in
the model health certificate for imports of semen of
the ovine and caprine species set out in this Decision.

according

specific

to

(8)

(9)

Accordingly, a list of third countries from which Member
States are to authorise imports of semen, ova and
the ovine and caprine species should be
embryos of
established by this Decision.

semen collection centres and embryo
The lists of
collection teams
from which Member States are to
authorise imports of semen, ova and embryos of the
ovine
third
species,
countries, should also be established by this Decision.

originating

caprine

and

in

and embryo collection teams

(10) Article 17(3) of Directive 92/65/EEC provides for the
procedure of amendments to the lists of semen collection
centres
from which
Member States are to authorise the imports of semen,
ova and embryos of the ovine and caprine species. The
amended lists are to be published on the website of the
Commission (2).

(11)

regimes

and caprine

for breeding,

animals
for

In the interests of consistency of Community legislation,
the requirements governing intra-Community trade in
ovine
and the
in
specific test
Council Directive 91/68/EEC of 28 January 1991 on
animal health conditions governing intra-Community
trade in ovine and caprine animals (3), should be taken
into account in the model health certificate for imports
of semen of the ovine and caprine species set out in this
Decision.

those animals,

set out

(12)

The animal health conditions for the importation into
the Community of animals of the ovine and caprine
species intended for breeding are laid down in Decision
79/542/EEC. Those requirements should also be taken
into account in the model health certificate for imports
of semen of the ovine and caprine species set out in this
Decision.

(14) Account should also be taken of the provisions of Regu­
lation (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 trans­
spongiform encephalopathies (4)
of
missible
Commission
of
31 March 2006 implementing Regulation (EC) No
999/2001 of
the
Council as regards national scrapie control programmes
and additional guarantees and derogating from certain
requirements of Decision 2003/100/EC and repealing
Regulation (EC) No 1874/2003 (5).

the European Parliament and of

and
546/2006

Regulation

(EC) No

(15)

(16)

Sanitary conditions for the collection, processing, storage
and transport of ova and embryos and the health
conditions applied to donor females are laid down in
Chapters
IV of Annex D to Directive
92/65/EEC. However, it is necessary to provide for ad­
ditional guarantees,
in particular as regards the official
veterinary supervision of embryo collection teams in
this Decision.

and

III

In the interests of clarity of Community legislation, it is
appropriate to set out in this Decision a list of third
countries and approved semen collection centres from
which Member States are to authorise imports into the
Community of semen of the ovine and caprine species, a
list of third countries and approved embryo collection
teams
from which Member States are to authorise
imports into the Community of ova and embryos of
those species, and the certification requirements relating
to such imports in order to gather all these requirements
under a single act.

(1) See page 32 of this Official Journal.
(2) http://circa.europa.eu/irc/sanco/vets/info/data/semen/semen.html
(3) OJ L 46, 19.2.1991, p. 19. Directive as last amended by Directive

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

last amended by
Commission Regulation (EC) No 571/2008 (OJ L 161, 20.6.2008,
p. 4).

2006/104/EC (OJ L 363, 20.12.2006, p. 352).

(5) OJ L 94, 1.4.2006, p. 28.

2.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 206/19

(17)

(18)

(19)

(20)

the Council, and of

the present Decision, account
In the application of
should be taken of the specific certification requirements
provided for in point 7(b) of Chapter IX(B) of Appendix
2 of Annex 11 to the Agreement between the European
Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in
agricultural products (1),
approved by Decision
as
2002/309/EC, Euratom of
the
Commission as regards the Agreement on scientific and
technological cooperation, of 4 April 2002 on the
conclusion of seven Agreements with the Swiss Confed­
eration (2). Therefore, for consignments of semen, ova or
embryos of ovine or caprine species from Switzerland to
the Community,
in
Commission Decision 95/388/EC of 19 September
intra-
1995 determining the specimen certificate for
Community trade in semen, ova and embryos of the
ovine and caprine species (3) should apply, as adopted
in accordance with that Decision.

certificates provided

the

for

In application of the present Decision, account should be
taken of the specific certification requirements and model
health attestations which may be
laid down in
accordance with the Agreement between the European
and the Government of Canada on
Community
sanitary measures to protect public and animal health
and animal
in respect of
in live
products (4),
Council Decision
as
1999/201/EC (5).

approved

animals

trade

by

In application of the present Decision, account should
also be taken of the specific certification requirements
and model health attestations which may be laid down
in accordance with the Agreement between the European
Community and New Zealand on sanitary measures
applicable
animal
in live
products (6),
Council Decision
97/132/EC (7).

to trade
as

approved

animals

and

by

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

Imports of semen

The Member States shall authorise imports of semen of the
ovine and caprine species, collected in a third country and in
an approved semen collection centre,
listed in Annex I, and
complying with the animal health requirements set out in the
model health certificate in Annex II.

Article 2

Imports of ova and embryos

The Member States shall authorise imports of ova and embryos
of the ovine and caprine species, collected in a third country
and by an approved embryo collection team, listed in Annex III,
and complying with the animal health requirements set out in
the model health certificate in Annex IV.

Article 3

Applicability

This Decision shall apply from 1 September 2008.

Article 4

Addressees

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 22 July 2008.

For the Commission

Androulla VASSILIOU
Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 114, 30.4.2002, p. 132.
(2) OJ L 114, 30.4.2002, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 234, 3.10.1995, p. 30. Decision as amended by Decision

2005/43/EC (OJ L 20, 22.1.2005, p. 34).

(4) OJ L 71, 18.3.1999, p. 3.
(5) OJ L 71, 18.3.1999, p. 1.
(6) OJ L 57, 26.2.1997, p. 5.
(7) OJ L 57, 26.2.1997, p. 4. Decision as amended by Decision

1999/837/EC (OJ L 332, 23.12.1999, p. 1).

L 206/20

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

2.8.2008

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2.8.2008

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 206/21

Notes

(f) The original of the certificate must be completed and
signed by an official veterinarian the last working day
prior to loading of the consignment for exportation to
the Community. In doing so, the competent authorities
of the exporting country shall ensure that principles of
certification equivalent to those laid down in Council
Directive 96/93/EC are followed.

The colour of the signature shall be different to that of
the printing. The same rule applies to stamps other
than those embossed or watermarked.

(g) The original of

the certificate must accompany the
consignment until it reaches the EU border inspection
post.

(h) The certificate shall be valid for 10 days from the date
of issuing. In the case of transport by ship the time of
validity is prolonged by the time of the trip in the ship.

(i) Semen and ova/embryos shall not be transported in the
same container together with other semen and ova/
embryos
the
that,
European Community, or
is/are of a lower health
status.

is/are not destined for

either

(j) During its transport to the European Community, the
container shall remain closed and the seal shall not be
broken.

(k) The certificate reference number referred to in Boxes
I.2 and II.a. must be issued by the competent authority.

(a) Health certificates shall be produced by the exporting
country, based on the model appearing in Annex II.
that
They shall
appears
are
required for any third country and, as the case may
be, those supplementary guarantees that are required
for the exporting third country as indicated in Annex I.

in the numbered order
that

contain,
in the model,

attestations

the

If so requested by the EU Member State of destination,
the additional certification requirements shall be also
incorporated in the original form of the health certifi­
cate.

(b) The original of each certificate shall consist of a single
page, both sides, or, where more text is required;
it
shall be in such a form that all pages needed are part
of an integrated whole and indivisible.

(c)

It shall be drawn up in at least one of the official
languages of
the EU Member State in which the
inspection at the border post shall be carried out and
of the EU Member State of destination. However, these
allow another Community
Member
language
if
their own,
necessary, by an official translation.

States may
instead of

accompanied,

(d) If

the items of

for reasons of

the
identification of
consignment (schedule in point I.28 of the model of
certificate), additional pages are attached to the certifi­
cate, these pages shall also be considered as forming
part of the original of the certificate by the application
of the signature and stamp of the certifying official
veterinarian, on each of the pages.

(e) When the certificate,

including additional schedules
referred to in (d), comprises more than one page,
each page shall be numbered — (page number) of
(total number of pages) — on its bottom and shall
bear the code number of the certificate that has been
designated by the competent authority on its top.

L 206/22

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Official Journal of the European Union

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ANNEX II

Model health certificate for import of semen of the ovine and caprine species

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L 206/26

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2.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 206/27

Notes

(a) Health certificates shall be produced by the exporting
country, based on the model appearing in Annex IV.
They shall contain, in the numbered order that appears
in the model, the attestations that are required for any
third country and, as the case may be, those supple­
mentary guarantees that are required for the exporting
third country as indicated in Annex III.

(f) The original of the certificate must be completed and
signed by an official veterinarian the last working day
prior to loading of the consignment for exportation to
the Community. In doing so, the competent authori­
ties of the exporting country shall ensure that prin­
ciples of certification equivalent to those laid down in
Council Directive 96/93/EC are followed.

If so requested by the EU Member State of destination,
the additional certification requirements shall be also
incorporated in the original form of the health certifi­
cate.

The colour of the signature shall be different to that of
the printing. The same rule applies to stamps other
than those embossed or watermarked.

(g) The original of the certificate must accompany the
consignment until it reaches the EU border inspection
post.

(h) The certificate shall be valid for 10 days from the date
of issuing. In the case of transport by ship the time of
validity is prolonged by the time of the trip in the
ship.

(i) Ova/embryos and semen shall not be transported
together
in the same container with other ova/
embryos and semen that, either are/is not destined
for the European Community, or are/is of a lower
health status.

(j) During its transport to the European Community, the
container shall remain closed and the seal shall not be
broken.

(k) The certificate reference number referred to in Boxes
I.2 and II.a must be issued by the competent authority.

(b) The original of each certificate shall consist of a single
page, both sides, or, where more text is required;
it
shall be in such a form that all pages needed are part
of an integrated whole and indivisible.

(c)

(d)

It shall be drawn up in at least one of the official
the EU Member State in which the
languages of
the border post shall be carried out
inspection at
State of destination.
EU Member
the
and of
these Member States may allow another
However,
Community language instead of
their own, accom­
panied, if necessary, by an official translation.

for reasons of

identification of the items of the
If
consignment (schedule in point I.28 of the model of
certificate), additional pages are attached to the certifi­
cate, these pages shall also be considered as forming
part of the original of the certificate by the application
of the signature and stamp of the certifying official
veterinarian, on each of the pages.

(e) When the certificate,

including additional schedules
referred to in (d), comprises more than one page,
each page shall be numbered — (page number) of
(total number of pages) — on its bottom and shall
bear the code number of the certificate that has been
designated by the competent authority on its top.

L 206/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

2.8.2008

ANNEX IV

Model health certificate for import of ova and embryos of the ovine and caprine species

2.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 206/29

L 206/30

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

2.8.2008

2.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 206/31