Commission Decision of 27 June 2006 amending Annex II to Council Decision 79/542/EEC as regards imports of fresh meat from Botswana (notified under document number C(2006) 2880) (Text with EEA relevance) (2006/463/EC)

Commission Decision

of 27 June 2006

amending Annex II to Council Decision 79/542/EEC as regards imports of fresh meat from Botswana

(notified under document number C(2006) 2880)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/463/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

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(1), and in particular points (1) and (4) of Article 8 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Part 1 of Annex II to 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) sets out a list of third countries and parts of third countries from which Member States are authorised to import fresh meat of animals as defined in that Decision.

(2) Under that Decision, parts of the territory of Botswana are authorised for imports into the Community of deboned and matured meat from domestic bovine animals, sheep, goats and wild or farmed non-domestic animals other than suidae and solipeds.

(3) However an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Botswana within the territory of BW-1 was reported by the veterinary authorities of Botswana to the Commission. The first clinical signs of that disease were seen by the veterinary authorities on 20 April 2006 and they took immediate and appropriate control measures in the affected zone, including suspending the movement of susceptible animals and their products within and out of the zone and closing down two export establishments approved for imports into the Community.

(4) In order to take into account those measures introduced by Botswana, the list of authorised third countries and parts thereof, as set out out in Part I of Annex II to Decision 79/542/EEC, should be amended. Accordingly imports from Botswana into the Community of consignments of deboned and matured meat from domestic animals and farmed game slaughtered or wild game hunted prior to 20 April 2006 originating from the territory of BW-1 should be indicated as authorised. However, all consignments of such meat from such animals slaughtered or hunted on or after that date originating from that territory should be indicated as not authorised.

(5) Part 1 of Annex II to Decision 79/542/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6) This Decision is to be reviewed in the light of information obtained from Botswana.

(7) 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:

(1)

OJ L 18, 23.1.2002, p. 11.

(2)

OJ L 146, 14.6.1979, p. 15. Decision as last amended by Commission Decision 2006/360/EC (OJ L 134, 20.5.2006, p. 34).