95/161/EC: Commission Decision of 21 April 1995 establishing additional guarantees regarding salmonella for consignments to Finland and Sweden of laying hens

COMMISSION  DECISION of 21 April 1995 establishing additional guarantees regarding salmonella for consignments  to Finland and Sweden of laying hens (95/161/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 90/539/EEC of 15 October 1990 on animal health conditions  governing intra-Community trade in, and imports from third countries of, poultry and hatching eggs   (1), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular  Article 9 (b) (2) thereof,
Whereas the Commission has approved the operational programmes submitted by Finland and Sweden  regarding salmonella controls; whereas those programmes include specific measures for laying hens,  namely productive poultry reared with a view to producing eggs for consumption;
Whereas on 10 June 1994 the Veterinary Committee established the list of invasive salmonella  serotypes for poultry;
Whereas guarantees should be established equivalent to those implemented by Finland and Sweden  under their operational programmes;
Whereas those additional guarantees are to be based in particular on a microbiological examination  of the poultry to be sent to Finland and Sweden;
Whereas rules should be established for this microbiological examination of samples by laying down  the sampling method, the number of samples to be taken and the microbiological method for examining  the samples;
Whereas those guarantees should not be applicable to any flock that is subject to a programme  recognized as equivalent to that implemented by Finland and Sweden;
Whereas Finland and Sweden should apply to consignments originating from third countries import  requirements at least as stringent as those laid down in this Decision;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the  Standing Veterinary Committee,