COMMISSION DECISION  of 26 March 1992  concerning the animal health conditions and veterinary certification of imports of fresh meat from Bulgaria  (92/222/EEC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972 on health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine, swine, ovine and caprine animals and fresh meat or meat products from third countries (1), as last amended by  Directive 91/688/EEC (2), and in particular Article 16 thereof,
Whereas Commission Decision 81/545/EEC (3), as last amended by Decision 88/370/EEC (4), lays down the animal health conditions and veterinary certification of imports of fresh meat from Bulgaria;
Whereas Commission Decision 91/536/EEC of 16 October 1991 concerning the importation into Member States of certain live animals and animal products from Bulgaria (5) was adopted following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease reported in the region of  Jambol in Bulgaria; whereas Decision 91/536/EEC provides for the prohibition of imports of live animals of the bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine species, of fresh meat and meat products of the aforementioned species except for meat products which have  undergone heat treatment in a hermetically sealed container to a Fo value of 3,00 or more, or otherwise subjected to an internal temperature of 80 °C;
Whereas it has been established that emergency foot-and-mouth ring vaccination has been carried out in the districts of Jambol and Bourgas; whereas it has also been established that annual routine vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease ceased in  August 1991 in Bulgaria;
Whereas the results of a survey carried out in parts of Bulgaria indicate that the situation has improved and that it is now possible to authorize the imports of fresh meat and live animals of the bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine species into the  Community;
Whereas, in addition, the responsible veterinary authorities of Bulgaria have confirmed that Bulgaria has for at least 12 months been free from cattle plague (Rinderpest), classical swine fever, African swine fever, swine vesicular disease, contagious  porcine paralysis (Teschen disease); whereas one outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease occurred in July 1991; whereas, apart from classical swine fever, vaccination against those diseases is not practised; whereas animals vaccinated against foot-and-mouth  disease and classical swine fever are present in Bulgaria;
Whereas the responsible authorities of Bulgaria have undertaken to notify the Commission and the Member States within 24 hours, by fax, telex or telegram of the confirmation of the occurrence of any of the abovementioned diseases or an alteration in the  vaccination policy against them;
Whereas certain Member States because of their particular animal health situations concerning classical swine fever benefit from special provisions in intra-Community trade and should therefore also be authorized to apply special provisions in respect  of imports from third countries until implementation of Council Directive 91/688/EEC for the purpose of laying down animal health conditions concerning classical swine fever for live pigs, pigmeat and pigmeat products coming from third countries;  whereas these provisions must be at least as strict as those which the Member States in question apply in intra-Community trade;
Whereas animal health conditions and veterinary certification must be adopted according to the animal health situation of the non-member country concerned;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,
Member States shall authorize the importation of the following categories of fresh meat from Bulgaria:
(a) fresh meat of domestic animals of the bovine, ovine or caprine species, conforming to the guarantees laid down in the animal health certificate in accordance with Annex A, which must accompany the consignment;
(b) fresh meat of domestic swine, conforming to the guarantees laid down in the animal health certificate in accordance with Annex B, which must accompany the consignment;
(c) fresh meat of domestic solipeds, conforming to the guarantees laid down in the animal health certificate in accordance with Annex C, which must accompany the consignment.
Member States, as long as they remain officially free from classical swine fever, may, in respect of fresh meat of swine referred to under point (b) of Article 1, retain their national animal health rules relating to protection against  classical swine fever, until, at the latest, 1 July 1992.
This Decision shall not apply to imports of glands and organs authorized by the country of destination for pharmaceutical manufacturing purposes.
Decisions 81/545/EEC and 91/536/EEC are hereby repealed.
This Decision will be reviewed before 1 July 1992.
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.