Commission Decision of 28 August 2006 laying down a list of third countries from which poultry, hatching eggs, day-old chicks, meat of poultry, ratites and wild game-birds, eggs and egg products and specified pathogen-free eggs may be imported into and transit through the Community and the applicable veterinary certification conditions, and amending Decisions 93/342/EEC, 2000/585/EC and 2003/812/EC (notified under document number C (2006) 3821) (Text with EEA relevance) (2006/696/EC) (repealed)

SECTION 3 Ratites for breeding and production and hatching eggs and day-old chicks thereof

Article 11 Requirements for imports

1. Imported ratites for breeding and production shall be identified by neck-tags and/or microchips bearing the ISO code of the third country of origin.

Such microchips shall comply with ISO standards.

2. Imported hatching eggs of ratites for breeding and production shall be marked with a stamp indicating the ISO code of the third country of origin and the approval number of the establishment of origin.

3. Each package of hatching eggs as referred to in paragraph 2 shall contain only eggs of ratites from the same third country of origin and consignor, and shall bear at least the following particulars:

(a) the information shown on the eggs as provided for in paragraph 2;

(b) a clearly visible and legible indication that the consignment contains hatching eggs of ratites;

(c) the consignor's name or business name and address.

4. Each box of imported day-old chicks of ratites for breeding and production shall contain only ratites from the same third country of origin, establishment and consignor, and shall bear at least the following particulars:

(a) the ISO code of the third country of origin and the approval number of the establishment of origin;

(b) a clearly visible and legible indication that the consignment contains day-old chicks of ratites;

(c) the consignor's name or business name and address.

5. After the import controls have been carried out, consignments of ratites and hatching eggs and day-old chicks thereof shall be transported directly to the final destination.

Article 12 Requirements after import

1. Imported ratites for breeding and production (ratites) and day-old chicks thereof shall be kept on the holding(s) of destination from their date of arrival:

(a) for a period of at least six weeks; or

(b) where the birds are slaughtered before the expiry of the period referred to in (a), until the day of slaughter.

2. Ratites hatched from imported hatching eggs shall be kept for a period of at least three weeks from the date of hatching in the hatchery or on the holding(s) to which they have been sent after hatching.

3. During the relevant period as provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2, imported ratites and ratites hatched from imported hatching eggs shall be kept in isolation in houses where no other ratites or poultry are present.

However, they may be introduced into houses where other ratites or poultry are already present.

In that case, the periods provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall start running from the date of introduction of the last imported ratite and no ratites or poultry present shall be moved from the housing before the end of those periods.

4. Imported hatching eggs shall be hatched in separate incubators and hatchers.

However, imported hatching eggs may be introduced into incubators and hatchers where other hatching eggs are already present.

In that case, the periods provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall start running from the date of introduction of the last imported hatching egg and the measures as provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall apply.

5. No later than the date of expiry of the relevant period as provided for in paragraph 1 or 2, imported ratites and day-old chicks thereof shall undergo a clinical examination carried out by an authorised veterinarian and, where necessary, samples shall be taken to monitor their state of health.

6. Where ratites, hatching eggs and day-old chicks thereof and/or their flocks of origin are to undergo testing in accordance with the requirements of the veterinary certificates laid down in Annex I to this Decision, sampling for testing for Newcastle disease and the testing itself shall be carried out in accordance with Annexes I and II to Commission Decision 92/340/EEC(1).

Article 13 Requirements for ratites for breeding and production and day-old chicks thereof from Asia and Africa

The protective measures for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever set out in Part 1 of Annex V shall apply, on their arrival in the Community, to ratites for breeding and production and day-old chicks thereof coming from third countries in Asia and Africa.

All ratites testing positive to the competitive ELISA test for antibodies to Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever provided for therein shall be destroyed.

All contact birds within the group shall be retested by the competitive ELISA test 21 days after the original sampling. Where any bird tests positive, the whole contact group shall be destroyed.

Article 14 Requirements for ratites for breeding and production from a country considered to be infected with Newcastle disease

The following rules shall apply to ratites and hatching eggs thereof coming from a third country considered as infected with Newcastle disease and day-old chicks that have hatched from such eggs:

(a)

before the date the isolation period begins, the competent authority shall check the isolation facilities as referred to in Article 12(3) to see whether they are satisfactory;

(b)

during the relevant period as provided for in Article 12(1) and (2), a virus isolation test for Newcastle disease shall be carried out on a cloacal swab or faeces sample from each ratite;

(c)

where ratites are to be sent to a Member State or region the status of which has been established in accordance with Article 12(2) of Directive 90/539/EEC, a serological test shall be carried out on each ratite, in addition to the virus isolation test provided for in (b);

(d)

negative results of the tests provided for in (b) and (c) shall be available before any bird is released from isolation.

(1)

OJ L 188, 8.7.1992, p. 34.