Document ID: 32004D0212

Commission Decision
of 6 January 2004
on Community health conditions on imports of animals and fresh meat including minced meat from third countries and amending Decisions 79/542/EEC, 2000/572/EC and 2000/585/EC
(notified under document number C(2003) 5248)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2004/212/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972 on health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine, ovine and caprine animals and swine, fresh meat or meat products from third countries(1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 807/2003(2), and in particular Articles 3(1), 6(3), 7 and 8, 11(2), 14(3)(c) and (d), 15, 16(1), 17(2)(b) and (d) and 22(2) thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15 July 1991 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC(3) as last amended by Directive 96/43/EC(4), and in particular Article 8B 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 Regulation (EC) No 806/2003(6), and in particular Article 16(2)(c) and (3) thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A(I) to Directive 90/425/EEC(7), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1398/2003(8), and in particular Articles 6A(1)(e), 17(2) and (3), 18(1) and 19 thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 92/118/EEC of 17 December 1992 laying down public health and animal 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(9), as last amended by Commission Decision 2003/721/EC(10), and in particular Article 10 thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 94/65/EEC of 14 December 1994 laying down the requirements for the production and placing on the market of minced meat and meat preparations(11), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 806/2003, and in particular Articles 13 and 14 thereof,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies(12), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2245/2003(13), and in particular Articles 15(3), 16(7) and 23 thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16 December 2002 laying down the animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption(14), and in particular Articles 8 and 9(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Community provisions concerning animal health conditions for imports from third countries of live animals, their fresh meat and meat products require, in general terms, (i) that these imports are only authorised from a third country or part thereof which appears in a list of authorised third countries, and (ii) that these animals and products fulfil the health conditions to be certified by an official veterinarian of the exporting country by means of a certificate.
(2) With a view to simplifying the legislative changes in Community legislation that may occur whenever the animal disease situation in a third country changes, it is appropriate to group together under a single legal act the import conditions, including the list of third countries and the models of certificates, that are applicable for the importation into the Community of any kind of Artiodactyla and Proboscidea and fresh meat from these animals and from equidae.
(3) Council Decision 79/542/EEC(15) draws up a list of third countries from which the Member States authorise imports of bovine animals, swine, equidae, sheep and goats, fresh meat and meat products, according to the provisions of Article 3 of Directive 72/462/EEC. This Decision has historically been the main reference for initiating Community procedures to allow exports from third countries of a large variety of animals and their derivatives; however, this has been superceded for fresh meat including minced meat by Council Directive 2002/99/EC. Therefore, it is appropriate to update Decision 79/542/EEC as a basis for the present consolidation.
(4) Article 12 of Council Directive 90/426/EEC of 26 June 1990 on animal health conditions governing the movement and import from third countries of equidae(16), establishes that imports of these animals are only allowed from third countries or parts thereof appearing in a list to be incorporated in the list of third countries laid down according to the provisions of Article 3 of Directive 72/462/EEC. However, Commission decisions adopted on the basis of Directive 90/426/EEC and concerning health conditions for imports of equidae provide for lists of the third countries authorised to export these animals to the Community.
(5) The rules governing animal health conditions for the importation of live animals pursuant to Directive 72/462/EEC, in particular the provisions of Article 3 referring to a list of third countries authorised for the exportation of live animals, will be replaced by a Council directive(17) laying down the animal health rules for the importation into the Community of certain live animals and amending Directives 72/462/EEC, 90/426/EEC, 92/65/EEC and 97/78/EC. In this context, Article 12 of Directive 90/426/EEC will be amended in order to establish therein the principles for drawing up a specific list of third countries authorised to use the specific models of health certificates required for exporting equidae to the Community. Moreover, this Directive foresees specific provisions for animals imported into the Community under certain non-commercial transactions.
(6) For the reasons above, and given the specificity of trade in animals imported under certain non-commercial transactions, it is appropriate already to exclude equidae and animals for shows, exhibitions, scientific (including conservation or experimental) purposes and circuses from the scope of Decision 79/542/EEC.
(7) Regarding imports of meat products, on the basis of the provisions of Directives 72/462/EEC, 77/99/EEC and 92/118/EEC, Commission Decisions 97/221/EC(18) and 97/222/EC(19) lay down, respectively, the animal health conditions and model of veterinary certificate and the list of third countries from which the Member States authorise the importation of meat products obtained from a large variety of animals. Thus, these two decisions already provide the harmonised rules concerning animal health conditions for importation from third countries of meat products. Therefore, in order to avoid the duplication of lists of third countries authorised for export of these products, it is appropriate to exclude meat products from the scope of Decision 79/542/EEC.
(8) Regarding those establishments where live animals are regularly kept or bred, Directive 72/462/EEC provides the definition of a "holding" for domestic bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine animals and Directive 92/65/EEC defines "approved body, institute or centre" for other kinds of animals. With a view to harmonising and simplifying the terminology being used for the purpose of this Decision, it is appropriate to consolidate under a single definition all the establishments where any kind of Artiodactyla and Proboscidea are regularly kept or bred.
(9) Commission Decision 2000/572/EC(20) lays down animal and public health conditions and veterinary certification for importation of minced meat and meat preparations from third countries. Deep-frozen minced meat can only be made from meat of domestic bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine animals, and the same concerns regarding animal diseases and animal health apply in the same way as those for fresh meat from such animals. However, meat preparations may incorporate meat from other non-mammallian animals. Therefore, Decision 2000/572/EC should be amended in order to remove from its scope minced meat from domestic cloven-hoofed animals that can be incorporated in a more harmonised manner in Decision 79/542/EEC, while maintaining the conditions applicable to the importation of meat preparations in a separate decision.
(10) Commission Decision 2000/585/EC(21) lays down animal and public health conditions and veterinary certification for the importation of wild and farmed game meat and rabbit meat from the third countries listed therein. For meat from farmed or wild cloven-hoofed game and equidae the same concerns regarding animal diseases and animal health apply as for fresh meat from domestic bovines, swine, equidae, sheep and goats. Therefore, Decision 2000/585/EC should be amended in order to withdraw from its scope the import conditions for meat from farmed and wild cloven-hoofed game and from equidae that should be incorporated in a more harmonised manner in Decision 79/542/EEC according to the requirements of Directive 2002/99/EC.
(11) Commission Decision 84/390/EEC(22) has been adopted on the basis of Directive 72/462/EEC and provides for the conditions for approval of border inspection posts on imports of live bovine animals and swine, and fresh meat derived therefrom. Since the entry into force of Council Directives 90/675/EEC(23) and 91/496/EEC, and their implementing Commission decisions, the provisions of Decision 84/390/EEC are no longer applicable and therefore should be repealed.
(12) Commission Decision 91/189/EEC(24) establishes the protocols for the standardisation of materials and procedures for veterinary diagnostic tests and the conditions for the approval of markets in connection with the import of domestic animals of the bovine and porcine species from third countries. The provisions for the approval of markets for trade in animals intended for export to the European Community are no longer applicable. Therefore that decision should be repealed and its provisions regarding the protocols for the standardisation of materials and procedures for veterinary tests incorporated in a more harmonised manner in Decision 79/542/EEC.
(13) Commission Decisions 93/198/EC(25) and 97/232/EC(26) lay down, respectively, the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for the importation of sheep and goats, and the lists of third countries from which Member States authorise importation of such animals. Commission Decision 2002/199/EC(27) establishes the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for the importation of live bovine animals and swine, and the list of third countries from which Member States authorise such importations. Regarding cloven-hoofed animals covered by Directive 92/65/EEC, the health conditions, the veterinary certification and the list of third countries authorised to import these animals into the Community have to be harmonised at Community level. For all these animals the same concerns regarding animal diseases and animal health apply. Therefore, Decisions 93/198/EC, 97/232/EC and 2002/199/EC should be repealed and their provisions incorporated in a more harmonised manner in Decision 79/542/EEC. Moreover, in order to preserve the health status of the animals exported from a third country during their transport to the Community, specific provisions should be established.
(14) Commission Decision 93/52/EEC(28) records the compliance by certain Member States or regions with the requirements relating to brucellosis (B. melitensis) and accords them the status of a Member State or region officially free of the diseases; this enables these Member States to require additional guarantees which should delivered by certification.
(15) Commission Decisions 80/801/EEC(29), 80/804/EEC(30), 81/526/EEC(31), 81/887/EEC(32), 82/414/EEC(33), 82/426/EEC(34), 83/84/EEC(35), 83/380/EEC(36), 84/292/EEC(37), 84/294/EEC(38), 86/63/EEC(39), 86/72/EEC(40), 86/117/EEC(41), 86/463/EEC(42), 89/197/EEC(43), 89/221/EEC(44), 90/445/EEC(45), 91/73/EEC(46), 91/445/EEC(47), 91/446/EEC(48), 92/280/EEC(49), 93/402/EC(50), 98/371/EC(51), 98/625/EC(52), 1999/283/EC(53) and 2001/745/EC(54) provide the animal health conditions and the veterinary certification for imports of fresh meat of domestic bovine, ovine, caprine, porcine or equine animals from several third countries. Therefore, these decisions should be repealed and their provisions incorporated in a more harmonised manner in Decision 79/542/EEC.
(16) The International Office of Epizootic Diseases and the Codex Alimentarius have set up guidelines regarding the principles of certification which veterinarians have to follow. It is prescribed in these principles that the certifying veterinarian only certifies matters that are within their own knowledge at the time of signing the certificate, or that have been separately attested by an official of another competent authority. Moreover, Council Directive 96/93/EC(55) lays down standards of certification which are necessary for valid certification and to prevent fraud. Therefore, it is appropriate to ensure that the rules and principles applied by third-country certifying officers provide guarantees which are equivalent to those laid down in Directive 96/93/EC and that the models of veterinary certificate laid down in Decision 79/542/EEC should exclusively reflect facts which may be attested at the time of issuing the certificate.
(17) With a view to informing the certifying veterinarian, the importers and the competent authorities in the Member State where the certificates are presented, further details should be established in the notes referring to the period of validity of the certificate, the date of issue and its coverage. For the same reasons, explanations on certain definitions, on supplementary guarantees under specific conditions and on the health requirements of holdings, premises and animals should accompany each model of certificate as appropriate.
(18) The United Nations has established guidelines for the use of a common frame and the layout for drawing up commercial documents. Under the aegis of several international bodies dealing with facilitation of procedures in the international trade, there are new principles and rules to be followed for issuing certificates intended for international transactions. Regarding certification procedures, the International Office of Epizootic Diseases and the Codex Alimentarius have set up guidelines on the use of electronic certification.
(19) With a view to harmonising the layout of the veterinary certificates to be issued and delivered by the official veterinarian of the exporting country, and to facilitate the possible use of electronic means of transfer of certificates, it is appropriate that the models of veterinary certificates laid down in Decision 79/542/EEC should be formatted accordingly, together with the notes for producing these certificates in the exporting country.
(20) Annex A to Directive 72/462/EEC lays down the specimen of public health certificate for imports from third countries of fresh meat of domestic bovine, ovine, caprine, porcine or equine animals intended for human consumption. Regarding meat of farmed and wild game, the animal health and public health attestation requirements, including animal welfare, have been incorporated in model certificates for each category of meat by Commission Decision 2000/585/EC. New Community measures are being adopted in the areas of animal welfare and of public health that concern imports of live animals and their fresh meat.
(21) With a view to harmonising import conditions, ensuring the transparency of Community requirements and simplifying the legislative procedure for updating Community legislation, it is appropriate to incorporate into each model of the veterinary certificate laid down in Decision 79/542/EEC the relevant requirements that are necessary for exportation to the Community of each category of animal or meat. However, other health provisions of a more general scope adopted at Community level still condition the ultimate acceptance for importation into the Community of these commodities. These provisions are laid down in Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996, on measures to monitor substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products(56) and Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002, laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety(57). They may also result from safeguard measures as provided for in Directives 91/496/EEC and 97/78/EC.
(22) Tariff and statistical nomenclatures worldwide classify live animals, their meat and other derivatives in different categories by allocating to them specific codes and definitions. Declarations to the customs authorities of these commodities by the importers have to take into account these categories of animals and products. The provisions of Directives 91/496/EEC and 97/78/EC on veterinary checks at the Community frontiers require close collaboration between the border inspection post and the customs office where animals and products of animal origin arrive from outside the Community.
(23) With a view to harmonising and facilitating import procedures at the Community frontiers, it is appropriate that each consignment presented for import is accompanied by the appropriate veterinary certificate.
(24) In addition for Australia, as only fresh poultrymeat and live poultry, in particular ratite meat and ratites, may be imported under certain specific testing requirements due to the use of Newcastle disease vaccines that do not comply with Community legislation, the importation of wild and farmed game meat should be suspended until the situation can be further assesesed in these categories of birds.
(25) Decision 79/542/EEC and Decision 2000/585/EC should be amended accordingly.
(26) Community provisions for the importation of certain products of animal origin make references to the list of third countries appearing in the Annex to Decision 79/542/EEC. Following the amendment of Decision 79/542/EEC, such references should be construed to be to the list of third countries or parts thereof appearing in Part 1 of Annex II to Decision 79/542/EEC, as amended by the present Decision.
(27) Based on Directive 72/462/EEC, Commission Decisions 89/18/EEC(58), 92/183/EEC(59) and 92/187/EEC(60) were taken to harmonise the animal health conditions, the veterinary certification and the rules governing the importation from several third countries of raw material for processing industries of fresh meat from domestic bovine, ovine, caprine, porcine or equine animals not intended for human consumption. In addition, the Commission decisions listed in recital 14, which should be repealed by the present act, provide for the animal health rules and certification for the importation of this fresh meat when intended for the pet food processing industry. Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council(61) lays down health rules concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption, including such raw material. The certification requirements shall be reviewed and implemented by 1 May 2004, when Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 becomes fully applicable. In the meantime, it is appropriate to maintain, until that date, the animal health requirements and the model of certificates of these decisions which are required for such products, by providing an appropriate transitional period for the continuing acceptance of the old models of certificates.
(28) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Decision 79/542/EEC is amended as follows:
1. The title is replaced by the following:
"Council Decision 79/542/EEC of 21 December 1976 drawing up a list of third countries or parts of third countries, and laying down animal and public health and veterinary certification conditions, for importation into the Community of certain live animals and their fresh meat."
2. Articles 1, 2 and 3 are replaced by the following:
"Article 1
Subject matter and scope
This Decision establishes the sanitary conditions for the importation into the Community of live animals excluding equidae, and for the importation of fresh meat and meat products of such animals, including equidae, but excluding meat preparations.
This Decision shall not apply to imports of non-domesticated animals for shows or exhibitions where such animals are not regularly kept or bred, and those non-domesticated animals forming part of circuses, or intended for scientific including conservation or experimental purposes in a body, institute or centre that has been approved in accordance with Annex C to Directive 92/65/EEC.
Imports of animals and fresh meat authorised in accordance with this Decision shall remain subject to other provisions that have been adopted, or may be adopted, under European food law.
Article 2
Definitions
For the purposes of this Decision, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) 'animals': means land mammals of the species belonging to the taxa Proboscidea and Artiodactyla, and their crossbreeds;
(b) 'holding': means a farm or other officially supervised agricultural, industrial or commercial undertaking, including zoos, amusement parks and wildlife or hunting reserves where animals are regularly kept or bred;
(c) 'trimmed offal': means offal from which the bones, the cartilage, the trachea and main bronchi, the lymphatic glands and adhering connective tissue, the fat and the mucus have been completely removed; in the case of meat from domestic bovine animals, the whole masseter muscles, incised in accordance with point 41(a) of Chapter VIII of Annex I to Council Directive 64/433/EEC, are also considered as trimmed offal.
Article 3
Conditions for importation of live animals into the Community
Imports into the Community of live animals shall only be allowed if such animals comply with Articles 4, 5 and 6.
Article 4
Place of origin of live animals
The animals shall come from the territory of a third country or a part thereof as listed in columns 1, 2 and 3 of the table set out in Part 1 of Annex I for which, in the corresponding column 4, there is a specific model of veterinary certificate designated for these animals.
Article 5
Specific conditions
The animals shall meet the requirements set out in the appropriate certificate established in accordance with the corresponding model certificate drawn up under Part 2 of Annex I, taking into account the specific conditions indicated in column 6 of the table set out in Part 1 of Annex I, and, if so indicated in column 5 of the table, they shall also meet any supplementary guarantees required in that certificate.
If required by the Member State of destination, the animals concerned shall meet the additional certification requirements mentioned for that Member State and included in the certificate, based on the corresponding model set out in Part 2.
Article 6
Transport of live animals for importation into the Community
1. The animals shall not be loaded in a means of transport carrying other animals that are not destined for the Community or are of a lower health status.
2. During the transport to the Community, the animals shall not be unloaded in the territory of a third country or part of a third country that is not approved for importation into the Community of such animals.
3. During the transport to the Community, the animals shall not be moved by road, railway or on foot through the territory or part of the territory of a third country that is not approved for importation into the Community of such animals.
4. The animals shall arrive at a border inspection post of the Community within 10 days of the date of loading in the exporting third country and be accompanied by a veterinary certificate, drawn up in conformity with the corresponding model, completed and signed by an official veterinarian of the exporting third country.
In the case of transport by sea, the period of 10 days shall be prolonged by the time of the sea journey. For that purpose, a declaration by the master of the ship, drawn up in accordance with the addendum of Part 3A of Annex I, shall be attached in its original form to the veterinary certificate.
Article 7
Conditions to be applied following importation
Following the importation and in accordance with Directive 91/496/EEC,
(i) animals intended for immediate slaughter shall be conveyed without delay to the slaughterhouse of destination where they shall be slaughtered within five working days;
(ii) animals intended for breeding, production or fattening purposes, and animals intended for zoos, amusement parks and hunting or wildlife reserves, shall be conveyed without delay to the holding of destination where they shall remain for a minimum period of 30 days before further movement outside the holding, except in the case of direct dispatch to a slaughterhouse.
Article 8
Conditions for importation of fresh meat into the Community
Imports into the Community of fresh meat intended for human consumption, from the animals as defined in Article 2 and from equidae, shall only be allowed if such meat complies with Articles 9 to 11.
Article 9
Place of origin of fresh meat
The fresh meat shall come from the territory of a third country or a part thereof as listed in columns 1, 2 and 3 of the table set out in Part 1 of Annex II for which, in the corresponding column 4, there is a specific model of veterinary certificate designated for that meat.
Article 10
Specific conditions
The fresh meat shall meet the requirements set out in the appropriate certificate corresponding to the model certificate drawn up under Part 2 of Annex II, taking into account the specific conditions indicated in column 6 of the table set out in Part 1 of Annex II, and, if so indicated in column 5 of the table, it shall also meet the supplementary guarantees requested in that certificate.
Article 11
Presentation of fresh meat at a Community border inspection post
The fresh meat shall be presented at a Community border inspection post accompanied by a veterinary certificate, drawn up in conformity with the corresponding model, completed and signed by an official veterinarian of the exporting third country.
Article 12
Conditions to be applied following importation
1. Following importation, the following categories of fresh meat shall be conveyed without delay to the processing establishment of destination, in accordance with Directive 97/78/EC:
(a) unskinned carcases of wild cloven-hoofed game intended for human consumption after further processing;
(b) trimmed offal of domestic bovine animals intended for human consumption as meat-based products after further heat-treatment by cooking to a core temperature of at least 80 °C, or sterilised in hermetically sealed containers in a way as to achieve a value of Fo &gt;= 3.
2. For the categories of products referred to in paragraph 1(b), the establishment of destination shall be an establishment specifically approved and registered for processing those products by the Member State in which the establishment is situated.
3. In accordance with the procedures established by Decision 2001/106/EC, Member States shall communicate to each other and to the Commission:
(a) the names and addresses of the establishments referred to in paragraph 2 and of the local competent authority responsible for the supervision of these establishments, as well as
(b) the categories of products for which these establishments are approved and registered.
Article 13
Certification
The veterinary certificates required for the importation of live animals and fresh meat into the Community, as provided for in this Decision, shall be drafted in accordance with the notes set out in Part 2 of Annexes I and II. However, this shall not preclude the use of electronic certification or other agreed systems, harmonised at Community level."
3. Article 4 becomes Article 14.
4. The Annex is replaced by Annex A to this Decision.
Article 2
Amendments to Decision 2000/572/EC
Decision 2000/572/EC is amended as follows:
1. The title is replaced by:
"Commission Decision 2000/572/EC of 8 September 2000 laying down the animal and public health and veterinary certification conditions for imports of meat preparations into the Community from third countries".
2. Article 1 is replaced by the following:
"Article 1
This Decision lays down the animal and public health and veterinary certification conditions for the importation of meat preparations."
3. Article 2 is deleted.
4. Article 4(1) is deleted.
5. Article 6 is deleted.
6. Annex I is deleted.
Article 3
Amendments to Decision 2000/585/EC
Decision 2000/585/EC is amended as follows:
1. The title is replaced by the following:
"Commission Decision 2000/585/EC of 7 September 2000 drawing up a list of third countries from which Member States authorise imports of rabbit meat and certain wild and farmed game meat, and laying down the animal and public health and the veterinary certification conditions for such imports".
2. Article 2 is replaced by the following:
"Article 2
Member States shall only authorise imports of the following meat:
- meat of wild game birds that do not contain offal, except in the case of unplucked and uneviscerated game birds,
- meat of farmed game birds,
- meat of wild leporidae, defined as rabbits and hares, that do not contain offal, except in the case of unskinned and uneviscerated leporidae,
- meat of farmed rabbits,
- meat of wild land mammals, other than ungulates and leporidae, that do not contain offal.
Such meat shall come from third countries or parts of third countries listed in Annex I, and it shall comply with the conditions laid down in the veterinary certificate established in accordance with the relevant model health certificate set out in Annex III, as provided for in Annex II.
The specific requirements referred to in Annex II and set out in Annex IV must be fulfilled by the exporting third country and so certified by completing Section V of each health certificate in accordance with the model set out in Annex III."
3. Annexes I and II are replaced by Annex B to this Decision.
4. In Annex III, Models A, B, F, G and J are deleted.
5. In Annex IV, paragraphs 1, 2, 5, and 7 are deleted.
Article 4
Repeals
Decisions 80/801/EEC, 80/804/EEC, 81/526/EEC, 81/887/EEC, 82/414/EEC, 82/426/EEC, 83/84/EEC, 83/380/EEC, 84/292/EEC, 84/294/EEC, 84/390/EEC, 86/63/EEC, 86/72/EEC, 86/117/EEC, 86/463/EEC, 89/197/EEC, 89/221/EEC, 90/445/EEC 91/73/EEC, 91/189/EEC, 91/445/EEC, 91/446/EEC, 92/280/EEC, 93/198/EEC, 93/402/EEC, 97/232/EC, 98/371/EC, 98/625/EC, 1999/283/EC, 2001/745/EC and 2002/199/EC are repealed.
Article 5
Transitional and final provisions
1. This Decision shall apply from 1 May 2004.
2. References made by Community legislation to the list of third countries appearing in part 1 of the Annex to Decision 79/542/EEC, as laid down before the amendments introduced by the present Decision, shall be construed as references to the list of third countries appearing in Part 1 of Annex II to Decision 79/542/EEC, as amended by the present Decision.
3. Importation into the Community of live animals certified before the date referred to in paragraph 1 and fresh meat from animals slaughtered before the date referred to in paragraph 1, in accordance with the models of veterinary certificates laid down in the decisions referred to in Article 4, shall be authorised for a period of 60 days following the application of this Decision.
Article 6
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 6 January 2004.

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