96/482/EC: Commission Decision of 12 July 1996 laying down animal health conditions and veterinary certificates for the importation of poultry and hatching eggs other than ratites and eggs thereof from third countries including animal health measures to be applied after such importation (Text with EEA relevance)

COMMISSION DECISION of 12 July 1996 laying down animal health conditions and veterinary certificates for the importation of poultry and hatching eggs other than ratites and eggs thereof from third countries including animal health measures to be applied after such importation (Text with EEA relevance) (96/482/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 Articles 23 (1), 24 and 26 (2) thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15 July 1991 laying down the principles governing the organization of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC (2), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 10 thereof,
Whereas Commission Decision 95/233/EC (3) established a list of third countries from which importation of live poultry and hatching eggs is authorized in principle;
Whereas the countries or parts thereof appearing on this list have given sufficient guarantees to be considered as free from avian influenza and Newcastle disease according to Commission Decision 93/342/EEC (4) as amended by Decision 94/438/EC (5);
Whereas the general and special animal health conditions and the veterinary certificates required for the importation of poultry or hatching eggs have to be laid down; whereas also the sampling and testing procedures have to be laid down; whereas all these requirements have to be at least equivalent to those laid down by Directive 90/539/EEC and any implementing Decision for intra-Community trade;
Whereas a list of third countries entitled to use the certificates laid down in this Decision is established by Commission Decision 96/483/EC (6);
Whereas furthermore the conditions, and therefore the certificates, can be different for small consignments of poultry; whereas the conditions and the certificates for such small consignments should be established in a separate Decision;
Whereas therefore the general health situation of the third countries must be taken into account; whereas certain third countries appearing on the abovementioned list are only to be authorized for imports of certain categories of poultry and hatching eggs;
Whereas it is necessary, in respect of imports of ratites and hatching eggs thereof, and because of the biological differences between those birds and the other poultry species, to postpone the establishment of animal health conditions and veterinary certification until the Scientific Veterinary Committee has given an opinion as to the risks involved in such imports;
Whereas, with regard to the category of products concerned and to the need to avoid any deterioration of the health status on the territory of the Community, it is necessary to establish an isolation and observation period followed by clinical examination;
Whereas the Commission may review this Decision at any time if the animal health status of the countries concerned is changed;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,