Council Directive of 15 July 1991 laying down the principles governing the organization of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC (91/496/EEC) (repealed)

CHAPTER III U.K. Inspection

Article 19 U.K.

1. Veterinary experts from the Commission may, in conjunction with the competent national authorities and to the extent necessary for uniform application of the requirements of this Directive, verify that the border inspection posts approved in accordance with Article 6 and the quarantine centres approved in accordance with Article 10 satisfy the criteria listed respectively in Annexes A and B.

2. Veterinary experts from the Commission may, in conjunction with the competent authorities, make on-the-spot checks.

3. A Member State in whose territory an inspection is made shall provide the veterinary experts from the Commission with any assistance they may require in the performance of their tasks.

4. The Commission shall inform the Member States of the outcome of the checks.

5. Where the Commission deems that the outcome of checks so justifies, it shall review the situation within the Standing Veterinary Committee. It may adopt the necessary decisions in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 22.

6. The Commission shall monitor developments; in the light of such developments and in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 22, it may amend or repeal the decisions referred to in paragraph 5.

7. Detailed rules for the application of this Article shall be adopted, where the need arises, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 23.

Article 20 U.K.

Where, on the basis of the checks carried out at the point where the animals are marketed, a competent authority of a Member State considers that this Directive is not being complied with at a border inspection post of another Member State, it shall contact the competent national authority of that Member State without delay.

The latter shall take all the necessary measures and inform the competent authority of the first Member State of the nature of the checks made, the decision taken and the reasons for such decisions.

If the competent authority of the first Member State believes the measures are insufficient it shall examine, with the competent authority of the Member State in question, the ways and means in which the situation could be remedied, where necessary by visiting the Member State in question.

Where the checks referred to in the first subparagraph show repeated non-compliance with this Directive, the competent authority of the Member State of destination shall inform the Commission and the competent authorities of the other Member States.

The Commission must, at the request of the competent authority of the Member State of destination or on its own initiative, send an inspection team to the Member State in question in conjunction with the competent national authorities. Depending on the type of infringement observed, that team may remain in the Member State in question until the decisions referred to in the final subparagraph have been taken.

Pending the Commission's findings, the Member State in question must, at the request of the Member State of destination, step up checks at the border inspection post or quarantine centre concerned.

The Member State of destination may, for its part, intensify checks on animals coming from these sources.

At the request of one of the two Member States concerned, and in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 22, the Commission must, where the irregularities are confirmed by the inspection referred to in the fifth subparagraph, take the appropriate measures. These measures must be confirmed or reviewed as soon as possible in accordance with the same procedure.

Article 21 U.K.

1. Each Member State shall draw up a programme for the exchange of staff designated to carry out the veterinary checks on animals coming from third countries.

2. The Commission and the Member States shall coordinate the programmes referred to in paragraph 1 within the Standing Veterinary Committee.

3. Member States shall take all the measures necessary to allow implementation of the programmes resulting from the coordination referred to in paragraph 2.

4. Each year, in the Standing Veterinary Committee, the implementation of programmes shall be reviewed on the basis of reports drawn up by the Member States.

5. Member States shall take into account the experience gained, in order to improve and develop the exchange programmes.

6. A financial contribution from the Community may be granted in order to promote the efficient development of exchange programmes. Detailed rules for such contribution and the estimated amount to be charged to the general budget of the European Communities are laid down in Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field(1).

7. Detailed rules for the application of paragraphs 1, 4 and 5 shall be adopted, where the need arises, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 23.

(1)

OJ No L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. Decision amended by Decision 91/133/EEC (OJ No L 66, 13.3.1991, p. 18).