Commission Decision 2007/777/EC3 lays down animal and public health conditions for the import into the Union of consignments of certain meat products and of treated stomachs, bladders and intestines which have undergone one of the treatments set out in Part 4 of Annex II thereto (‘the commodities’).

Part 2 of Annex II to Decision 2007/777/EC sets out a list of third countries or parts thereof from which the introduction into the Union of the commodities is authorised, provided that the commodities have undergone one of the treatments referred to therein. Part 4 of that Annex sets out a non-specific treatment ‘A’ and specific treatments ‘B’ to ‘F’ listed in descending order of severity of the animal health risk they are intended to eliminate.

Furthermore, Annex III to Decision 2007/777 sets out the model certificate that should accompany consignments of the commodities intended for introduction into the Union.

Kosovo has requested to be listed in Part 2 of Annex II to Decision 2007/777/EC as third country from which the introduction into the Union of commodities which have been obtained from poultry and farmed feathered game (except ratites) that have undergone specific treatment ‘C’ or ‘D’ is authorised and has submitted the relevant information. In particular, Kosovo has provided guarantees in respect of poultry raw material originating either from Member States or from third countries which are approved to export such raw material to the Union and in respect of the treatment that those products will undergo.

The Commission has carried out an audit in Kosovo to evaluate the control systems in place governing the production of meat products of poultry intended for export to the Union. Given the favourable outcome of that audit and the guarantees provided by Kosovo as regards the origin and treatment of the meat of poultry used for the production of the meat products, it is appropriate to include Kosovo in the table in Part 2 of Annex II to Decision 2007/777/EC for the introduction into the Union of meat products of poultry and farmed feathered game (except ratites) having undergone specific treatment ‘C’ or ‘D’.

The model veterinary certificate for imports of meat products, treated stomachs, bladders and intestines, set out in Annex III to Decision 2007/777/EC, refers to meat products prepared from meat of poultry originating in a Member State or satisfying the animal health requirements for import into the Union laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 798/20084, and provides that that meat has to undergo the non-specific treatment ‘A’ set out in Part 4 of Annex II to Decision 2007/777/EC.

The veterinary certificate requirements do not, however, refer to meat of poultry originating in a Member State or satisfying the animal health requirements for import into the Union laid down in Regulation (EC) No 798/2008 and having to undergo one of the specific treatments set out in Part 4 of Annex II to Decision 2007/777/EC. Given that the specific treatment of the product needs to be applied irrespective of the origin of the fresh meat used in the preparation of the meat products, and the negligible risks for poultry health involved in such practices, the model veterinary certificate for meat products, treated stomachs, bladders and intestines set out in Annex III to Decision 2007/777/EC, should include a certification provision for that specific situation.

Decision 2007/777/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

A reasonable transitional period of four months should be allowed to elapse before the amended model veterinary certificate becomes mandatory in order to allow Member States and the industry to adapt to the new requirements.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,