Commission Decision

of 6 October 2006

amending Decision 2003/858/EC as regards the list of territories from which importation of certain species of live fish, their eggs and gametes intended for farming in the European Community is authorised

(notified under document number C(2006) 4361)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/680/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 91/67/EEC of 28 January 1991 concerning the animal health conditions governing the placing on the market of aquaculture animals and products1, and in particular Article 19(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)
Commission Decision 2003/858/EC 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 consumption2, establishes a list of third countries or parts thereof from which imports of live fish, their eggs and gametes intended for farming in the Community are authorised.
(2)

In March 2006, Community veterinary experts undertook an on-the-spot inspection in Albania to verify the compliance with Decision 2003/858/EC.

(3)

The findings made during that inspection show that Albania cannot provide for the necessary animal health guarantees for export into the Community of live fish, their eggs and gametes intended for farming.

(4)

Since such import into the Community could seriously jeopardise the aquatic animal health situation in the Community, Albania should be deleted from the list of third countries from which Member States are authorised to import live fish, their eggs and gametes intended for farming in the Community set out in Annex I to Decision 2003/858/EC.

(5)

Decision 2003/858/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee for the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Annex I to Decision 2003/858/EC is replaced by the text in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 6 October 2006.

For the Commission

Markos Kyprianou

Member of the Commission

ANNEX

‘ANNEX I

Territories from which importation of certain species of live fish, their eggs, and gametes intended for farming in the European Community (EC) is authorised

Country

Territory

Comments3

ISO Code

Name

Code

Description

AU

Australia

BG

Bulgaria

BR

Brazil

Cyprinidae only

CA

Canada

CG

Congo

Cyprinidae only

CL

Chile

CN

China

Cyprinidae only

CO

Colombia

Cyprinidae only

HR

Croatia

ID

Indonesia

IL

Israel

JM

Jamaica

Cyprinidae only

JP

Japan

Cyprinidae only

LK

Sri Lanka

Cyprinidae only

MK4

former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Cyprinidae only

MY

Malaysia (Peninsula, Western Malaysia only)

Cyprinidae only

NZ

New Zealand

RU

Russia

SG

Singapore

Cyprinidae only

TH

Thailand

Cyprinidae only

TR

Turkey

TW

Taiwan

Cyprinidae only

US

United States

ZA

South Africa

3

No limitations if left blank. If a country or territory is allowed to expert certain species, and/or eggs or gametes, the species must be specified and/or a comment, for example, “eggs only” must be inserted in this column.

4

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.’