Commission Decision of 21 November 2003 laying down the animal health conditions and certification requirements for imports of live fish, their eggs and gametes intended for farming, and live fish of aquaculture origin and products thereof intended for human consumption (notified under document number C(2003) 4219) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/858/EC) (repealed)

[F1 [X1 ANNEX I U.K. Territories from which importation of certain species of live fish, their eggs, and gametes intended for farming in the European Community (EC) are authorised

Editorial Information

X1 Substituted by Corrigendum to corrigendum to Commission Decision 2004/454/EC of 29 April 2004 amending Annexes I, II and III to Decision 2003/858/EC laying down the animal health conditions and certification requirements for imports of live fish, their eggs and gametes intended for farming, and live fish of aquaculture origin and products thereof intended for human consumption (Official Journal of the European Union L 202 of 7 June 2004).

Textual Amendments

F1 Substituted by Commission Decision of 29 April 2004 amending Annexes I, II and III to Decision 2003/858/EC laying down the animal health conditions and certification requirements for imports of live fish, their eggs and gametes intended for farming, and live fish of aquaculture origin and products thereof intended for human consumption (notified under document number C(2004) 1680) (Text with EEA relevance) (2004/454/EC).

a Insert “ Yes ” or “ No ” as relevant if designated farm, coastal or continental zone is approved by the central competent authority of the exporting country as a territory that fulfils the specific animal health requirements - including a non-vaccination policy - for introduction into European Community zones and farms having a Community approved programme or status, or for one or more of the diseases viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN), additional guarantees for spring viraemia of carp (SVC), bacterial kidney disease (BKD, infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN), and/or Gyrodactylus salaris ( G. salaris ).
b No limitations if left empty. If a country or territory is allowed to export only certain species and/or eggs or gametes, the species should be specified and/or a comment with for example “ eggs only ” shall be inserted in this column.
c Provisional code that does not affect the definitive denomination of the country to be attributed after the conclusion of the negotiations currently taking place in the United Nations.] ]
Country		Territory		Specific requirements a						Comments b
ISO-code	Name	Code	Description	VHS	IHN	SVC	BKD	IPN	G. salaris
AL	Albania
AU	Australia
BR	Brazil									Carps only
BG	Bulgaria
CA	Canada
CL	Chile
CN	China, Peoples Republic of									Carps only
CO	Colombia									Carps only
CG	Congo									Carps only
HR	Croatia
MK c	Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia									Carps only
ID	Indonesia
IL	Israel
JM	Jamaica									Carps only
JP	Japan									Carps only
MY	Malaysia (Peninsular, Western Malaysia only)									Carps only
NZ	New Zealand
RU	Russian Federation
SG	Singapore									Carps only
ZA	South Africa
LK	Sri Lanka									Carps only
TW	Taiwan									Carps only
TH	Thailand									Carps only
TR	Turkey
US	United States

[F2 ANNEX II] U.K.

Textual Amendments

F2 Substituted by Commission Decision of 16 December 2004 amending Decision 2003/858/EC as regards imports of live fish of aquaculture origin and products thereof for further processing or immediate human consumption (notified under document number C(2004) 4560) (Text with EEA relevance) (2004/914/EC).

[F2 ANNEX III U.K. EXPLANATORY NOTES

(a) The certificates shall be produced by the competent authorities of the exporting country, based on the appropriate model appearing in Annex II, IV or V to this Decision taking into account the destination and use of the fish or products after the arrival in the European Community (EC). U.K.

(b) Considering the status of the place of destination as regards viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS), infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN), spring viraemia of carp (SVC), bacterial kidney disease (BKD), infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) and Gyrodactylus salaris ( G. salaris ) in the EC Member State, the appropriate specific additional requirements shall be incorporated and completed in the certificate. U.K.

(c) The original of each certificate shall consist of a single page, double-sided, or, where more than one page is required, it shall be in such a form that all pages form part of an integrated whole and are indivisible. U.K.

It shall, on the right hand side of the top of each page, be marked as ‘original’ and bear a specific code number issued by the competent authority. All pages of the certificate shall be numbered - ( page number ) of ( total number of pages ).

(d) The original of the certificate and the labels referred to in the model certificate shall be drawn up in at least one official language of the EC Member State in which the inspection at the border post shall be carried out and of the EC Member State of destination. However, these Member States may allow other languages, if necessary, accompanied by an official translation. U.K.

(e) The certificate issued for live fish, their eggs and gametes must be completed on the day of loading of the consignment for exportation to the EC. The original of the certificate must be completed with an official stamp and signed by an official inspector designated by the competent authority. In doing so, the competent authority of the exporting country shall ensure that the principles of certification equivalent to those laid down in Council Directive 96/93/EC are followed. U.K.

The stamp, unless embossed, and the signature shall be in a colour different to that of the printing.

(f) If for reasons of identification of the items of the consignment, additional pages are attached to the certificate, these pages shall be considered as forming part of the original and be signed and stamped by the certifying official inspector on each page. U.K.

(g) The original of the certificate must accompany the consignment until it reaches the EC border inspection post. U.K.

(h) The certificate issued for live fish, their eggs and gametes shall be valid for 10 days from the date of issue. In the case of transport by ship, the time of validity is prolonged by the time of journey at sea. U.K.

(i) The live fish, their eggs and gametes shall not be transported together with other fish, eggs or gametes that, either are not destined to EC, or are of a lower health status. Furthermore, they must not be transported under any other conditions that alter their health status. U.K.

(j) The possible presence of pathogens in the water is relevant for considering the health status of live fish, eggs and gametes. The certifying officer should therefore consider the following: U.K.

• the ‘ Place of origin ’ should be the localisation of the farm where the fish, eggs or gametes was reared reaching their commercial size relevant for the consignment covered by this certificate.]

[F2 ANNEX IV] U.K.

[F2 ANNEX V] U.K.

F3 ANNEX VI U.K. [F3 Statements to be issued by the competent authority at the border inspection post to complete the document referred to in the Annex to Decision 92/527/EEC or in the Annex B of Decision 93/13/EEC]

Textual Amendments

F3 Deleted by Commission Decision of 16 December 2004 amending Decision 2003/858/EC as regards imports of live fish of aquaculture origin and products thereof for further processing or immediate human consumption (notified under document number C(2004) 4560) (Text with EEA relevance) (2004/914/EC).

[ F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

A. Statements to be added to the document referred to in the Annex of Decision 92/527/EEC as regards live fish, their eggs and gametes intended for farming, and live fish of aquaculture origin for restocking of put-and take fisheries, in the European Community U.K.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

B. Statements to be added to the document referred to in the Annex B of Decision 93/13/EEC as regards fish products of aquaculture origin intended for human consumption U.K.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ANNEX VII U.K. Minimum animal health conditions for the approval of ‘approved import centres’ for processing of fish of aquaculture origin

A. General provisions U.K.

1. Member States shall only approve establishments as import centres for further processing of imported live fish of aquaculture origin and products thereof provided that the conditions at the import centre are such that risks of contamination of fish in Community waters, with pathogens capable of causing significant impact to fish stock, via discharges or other waste, or by other means, are avoided. U.K.

2. Establishments approved as ‘approved import centre’, must not be allowed to move live fish out of the establishment. U.K.

3. In addition to the appropriate public health provisions laid down under Directive 91/493/EEC for any establishments, as well as health rules laid down by Community legislation concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption, the minimum animal health conditions as laid down below, shall apply. U.K.

B. Management provisions U.K.

1. Approved import centres must be open to inspection and control by the competent authority at all times. U.K.

2. Approved import centres must have an efficient disease control, and monitoring system; in application of Council Directive 93/53/EEC, cases of suspected disease and mortality shall be investigated by the competent authority; the necessary analysis and treatment must be carried out in consultation with and under the control of the competent authority, taking into consideration the requirement in Article 3(1)(a) of Directive 91/67/EEC. U.K.

3. Approved import centres must apply a management system, approved by the competent authority, including hygiene and disposal routines for transports, transport containers, facilities, and equipment. The guidelines laid down for disinfection of fish farms in the OIE International Aquatic Animal Health Code, Sixth Edition, 2003, Appendix 5.2.2, should be followed. The disinfectants used must be approved for the purpose by the competent authority and appropriate equipment must be available for cleaning and disinfection. Discharges of by-products and other waste materials including dead fish and their products must be carried out in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council(1). The management system at the approved import centre shall be such that risks of contamination of fish in Community waters with pathogens capable of causing significant impact to fish stock, in particular as regards pathogens exotic to the Community and the fish pathogens referred to in list I and II, column 1, of Annex A to Directive 91/67/EEC, are avoided. U.K.

4. Approved import centres must keep an updated record of: observed mortality; and of all the live fish, eggs and gametes entering the centre and products leaving the centre including their source, their suppliers and their destination. The record should be open to scrutiny by the competent authority at all times. U.K.

5. Approved import centres must be cleaned and disinfected regularly in accordance with the programme described in point 3 above. U.K.

6. Only authorised persons may enter approved import centres and must wear protective clothing including appropriate footwear. U.K.

(1)

OJ L 273, 10.10.2002, p. 1.