2000/585/EC: Commission Decision of 7 September 2000 laying down animal and public health conditions and veterinary certifications for import of wild and farmed game meat and rabbit meat from third countries and repealing Commission Decisions 97/217/EC, 97/218/EC, 97/219/EC and 97/220/EC (notified under document number C(2000) 2492) (Text with EEA relevance)

Commission Decision
of 7 September 2000
laying down animal and public health conditions and veterinary certifications for import of wild and farmed game meat and rabbit meat from third countries and repealing Commission Decisions 97/217/EC, 97/218/EC, 97/219/EC and 97/220/EC
(notified under document number C(2000) 2492)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2000/585/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 91/494/EEC of 26 June 1991 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in and imports from third countries of fresh poultry meat(1), as amended by Directive 1999/89/EC(2), and in particular Articles 11, 12 and 14 thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 92/118/EEC of 17 December 1992 laying down animal health and public health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of products not subject to the said requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A, Chapter I, to Directive 89/662/EEC and, as regards pathogens, to Directive 90/425/EEC(3), as last amended by Directive 97/79/EC(4), and in particular Article 10 thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 92/45/EEC of 16 June 1992 on public health and animal health problems relating to the killing of wild game and the placing on the market of wild game meat(5), as last amended by Directive 97/79/EC, and particular Article 16(2)(c) and (3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Decision 97/217/EC(6) as last amended by Decision 2000/161/EC(7), establishes groups of third countries which are able to utilise the veterinary certification for imports of wild game meat, farmed game meat and rabbit meat from third countries.
(2) Commission Decision 97/218/EC(8) lays down animal and public health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of wild game meat (excluding meat of wild swine) from third countries.
(3) Commission Decision 97/219/EC(9) as last amended by Decision 2000/162/EC(10) lays down animal and public health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of farmed game meat and rabbit meat from third countries.
(4) Commission Decision 97/220/EC(11) lays down animal and public health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of meat of wild swine from third countries.
(5) In order to facilitate the consultation and the transparency of the European Union legislation and to update the animal and public health conditions and veterinary certification for import of wild and farmed game meat and rabbit meat from third countries, it is considered necessary to create a single decision; therefore, Commission Decisions 97/217/EC, 97/218/EC, 97/219/EC and 97/220/EC must be repealed.
(6) Considering that a new certification regime must be implemented for the exporting countries concerned, a period of time should be provided for its implementation.
(7) This Decision shall be reviewed in the light of developments in the animal health status of the territories of origin and, in particular, in the frame of the application of agreements between the Community and third countries concerning the matters covered by this Decision, notably as concerns Article 5 of the Agreement between the European Community and the Government of Canada on sanitary measures to protect public and animal health in respect of trade in live animals and animal products and Article 6 of the Agreement between the European Community and the United States of America on sanitary measures to protect public and animal health in trade in live animals and animal products.
(8) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,