96/333/EC: Commission Decision of 3 May 1996 establishing health certification of live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods from third countries which are not covered by a specific decision (Text with EEA relevance)

COMMISSION DECISION of 3 May 1996 establishing health certification of live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods from third countries which are not covered by a specific decision (Text with EEA relevance) (96/333/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 91/492/EEC of 15 July 1991, laying down the health conditions for the production and the placing on the market of live bivalve molluscs (1), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Sweden and Finland, and in particular Article 9 thereof,
Whereas the Commission has laid down the special conditions for the importation of live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods for certain third countries;
Whereas for the importation of live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods from third countries not yet covered by this type of decision, it is advisable initially to establish a standardized model of a health certificate to avoid disruptions to trade;
Whereas the adoption of a standard health certificate would have positive effects on operators and for the control services and would facilitate the free circulation of live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods within the Community;
Whereas the model of health certificate established by this Decision is provisional and applicable for a period of two years during which individual decisions may be adopted; whereas the provisional certificate will therefore no longer apply to any third country for which an individual decision has been adopted;
Whereas the veterinary checks on imported bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods have to be carried out in accordance with Council Directive 90/675/EEC of 10 December 1990, laying down the principles governing the organization of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries (2), as last amended by Directive 95/52/EC (3); whereas those checks entail the presentation of a health certificate accompanying the imported products;
Whereas the adoption of a standard model of health certificate should be without prejudice to any specific import conditions that may be adopted for a third country after on-the-spot assessment of the health situation by Commission experts;
Whereas, in accordance with Article 8 of Directive 91/492/EEC, the health certificate should attest that the conditions of production, purification, storage, packaging and transport of live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods intended for the Community are at least equivalent to those laid down for the Community products;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision should be without prejudice to measures adopted hereafter for the protection of animal health;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,