Article 1 
1. This Directive lays down the principles relating to the zootechnical and genealogical conditions applicable to imports from third countries of animals, semen, ova and embryos which are covered by Directives 77/504/EEC, 88/661/EEC, 89/361/EEC, 90/427/EEC and 91/174/EEC and by the Community decisions implementing these Directives. 2. This Directive shall apply without prejudice to the Community animal health rules applicable to imports from third countries of animals, their semen, ova and embryos as referred to in paragraph 1. 3. This Directive shall not affect: — the application of the rules on certain substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic action or on beta-agonists in stockfarming, — imports of animals, semen, ova and embryos referred to in paragraph 1 and intended for technical or scientific experiments carried out under the control of competent authorities. 4. Imports of animals, including those not covered by paragraph 1, referred to in paragraph 1, of ova and embryos may not be prohibited, restricted or prevented by zootechnical or genealogical reasons other than those resulting from this Directive. However, as concerns the import of semen from animals not referred to in paragraph 1 the national zootechnical and genealogical rules shall apply pending the adoption of Community rules.
Article 2 
1. For the purposes of this Directive, ‘bodies’ means any organization, stockrearing organization, breeders association, private undertaking or official service which is recognized in respect of the species and/or breed concerned, for the purpose of keeping a herd book or register in accordance with the relevant provisions of Directives 77/504/EEC, 88/661/EEC, 89/361/EEC, 90/427/EEC and 91/174/EEC. 2. Furthermore, (a) the definitions in Article 1 of Directives 77/504/EEC, 88/661/EEC and 91/174/EEC and in Article 2 of Directives 89/361/EEC and 90/427/EEC shall be respectively applicable as required; (b) for the purposes of applying the combined nomenclature ( 11 ), pure-bred horses for breeding shall mean registered horses, with the exception of geldings.
Article 3 
1. A list of bodies in respect of the species and/or races concerned that the competent authority of the third country has approved for the purpose of this Directive shall be communicated to the Commission. The approval of a body must be immediately suspended or withdrawn by the competent authority of the third country where it no longer complies with the conditions referred to in Article 3(2)(b) and the Commission must be immediately informed thereof. The Commission shall provide the Member States with any new and updated lists that it receives from the competent authority of the third country concerned in accordance with the second subparagraph and shall make them available to the public for information purposes. 2. In order to appear on the list provided for in paragraph 1, the third country body must: (b) comply, in the case of each species and/or each breed, with the relevant requirements laid down by Community legislation for bodies approved in the Community and in particular: — the provisions applicable to entry and registration in herd books or registers, — the provisions applicable to the acceptance of animals for breeding purposes, — the provisions applicable to the use of semen, ova and embryos of animals, — the methods used to check performance and assess the genetic value of animals; (b) comply, in the case of each species and/or each breed, with the relevant requirements laid down by Community legislation for bodies approved in the Community and in particular: — the provisions applicable to entry and registration in herd books or registers, — the provisions applicable to the acceptance of animals for breeding purposes, — the provisions applicable to the use of semen, ova and embryos of animals, — the methods used to check performance and assess the genetic value of animals; (c) be supervised by an official inspection service of the third country, (d) undertake to enter or register in their herd books or registers the animals, semen, ova and embryos and the animals resulting therefrom as referred to in Article 1 (1) which originate in an body in respect of the species and/or race concerned and recognized under Community legislation. 4. The implementing rules resulting from this Article, and in particular from paragraph 2 (d), should the occasion arise, shall be adopted by the procedure laid down in Article 12.
Article 4 
To be imported, animals referred to in Article 1 must: — be entered or registered in a herd book or register kept by an body named on a list as referred to in Article 3 (1), — be accompanied by a pedigree and zootechnical certificate to be drawn up in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12, — be accompanied by evidence that they are going to be entered or registered in a Community herd book or register in accordance with detailed rules to be established under the procedure laid down in Article 12.
Article 5 
To be imported, semen as referred to in Article 1 must: — come from an animal which is entered or registered in a herd book or register kept by an body shown on one of the lists referred to in Article 3 (1); — come from an animal which has undergone the performance checks and genetic value assessment to be determined in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12 on the basis of the principles provided for in this respect by Community rules; — be accompanied by a pedigree and zootechnical certificate to be drawn up in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12.
Article 6 
To be imported, ova of the animals referred to in Article 1 must: — come from an animal which is entered or registered in a herd book or register kept by an body shown on one of the lists referred to in Article 3 (1); — be accompanied by a pedigree and zootechnical certificate to be drawn up in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12.
Article 7 
To be imported, the embryos referred to in Article 1 must: — come from an animal which is entered or registered in a herd book or register kept by an body shown on one of the lists referred to in Article 3 (1); — be accompanied by a pedigree and zootechnical certificate to be drawn up in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12.
Article 8 
At the request of a Member State, accompanied by the necessary justifications or on its own initiative, the Commission may, according to the procedure in Article 12, lay down additional zootechnical and genealogical requirements for the import, from third countries, of certain animals, semen, ova and embryos to take account of the specific situation of such third countries.
Article 9 
1. Directive 91/496/EEC shall be applicable in respect of animals as referred to in Article 1 (1). 2. Directive 90/675/EEC of 10 December 1990 shall be applicable in respect of semen, ova and embryos as referred to in Article 1 (1). 3. Specific detailed implementing rules for the purposes of the zootechnical checks resulting from this Article shall be adopted, as and when required, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12.
Article 10 
With a view to allowing the lists referred to in Article 3 (1) and the conditions provided for in Articles 4, 5, 6 and 7 to be drawn up, on-the-spot checks shall be carried out by experts from the Commission and the Member States. The experts from the Member States responsible for these inspections shall be designated by the Commission on a proposal from the Member States. These inspections shall be carried out on behalf of the Community, which shall meet the costs involved. The frequency of, and arrangements for, these inspections shall be determined in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12. Where any serious infringement to the provisions in Article 3(2)(b) so warrants, in particular in the light of findings in relation to on-the-spot checks referred to in the first paragraph of this Article, measures may be adopted to suspend the import of animals, semen, ova and embryos referred to in Article 1(1) in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 12.
Article 11 
Directive 77/504/EEC is hereby amended as follows: — in Article 2, second indent, Article 3, second paragraph, and in Article 5, the term ‘embryos’ shall be replaced by ‘ova and embryos’.
Article 12 
Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be used, the Standing Committee on Zootechnics set up by Decision 77/505/EEC ( 12 ) shall act in accordance with the rules set out in Article 11 of Directive 88/661/EEC.
Article 13 
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive on 1 July 1995. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof. When Member States adopt these provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference on the occasion of their official publication. The methods of making such reference shall be laid down by Member States. 2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of domestic law which they adopt in the field governed by this Directive. 3. Pending implementation of the provisions referred to in this Directive, the relevant national rules shall apply in compliance with the general provisions of the Treaty.
Article 14 
This Directive shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities .
Article 15 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.