http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/eudn/2009/759

Commission Decision

of 15 October 2009

amending Decision 2008/155/EC as regards its period of applicability and certain embryo collection and production teams in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States

(notified under document C(2009) 7730)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2009/759/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 89/556/EEC of 25 September 1989 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in and importation from third countries of embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species1, and in particular Article 8(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Commission Decision 2008/155/EC of 14 February 2008 establishing a list of embryo collection and production teams in third countries approved for imports of bovine embryos into the Community2 provides that Member States are to authorise imports of embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species from third countries only if they have been collected, processed and stored by embryo collection and production teams listed in the Annex to that Decision.

(2)

Article 8 of Directive 89/556/EEC has been amended by Article 6(2) of Council Directive 2008/73/EC of 15 July 2008 simplifying procedures of listing and publishing information in the veterinary and zootechnical fields and amending Directives 64/432/EEC, 77/504/EEC, 88/407/EEC, 88/661/EEC, 89/361/EEC, 89/556/EEC, 90/426/EEC, 90/427/EEC, 90/428/EEC, 90/429/EEC, 90/539/EEC, 91/68/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 92/35/EEC, 92/65/EEC, 92/66/EEC, 92/119/EEC, 94/28/EC, 2000/75/EC, Decision 2000/258/EC and Directives 2001/89/EC, 2002/60/EC and 2005/94/EC3. Following that amendment, which applies from 1 January 2010, the list of embryo collection and production teams of animals of the bovine species is no longer to be established by a Commission Decision. Decision 2008/155/EC should therefore apply only until 31 December 2009.

(3)

Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States have requested that amendments be made to the entries for those countries on that list as regards certain embryo collection and production teams. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States have provided guarantees regarding compliance with the appropriate rules set out in Directive 89/556/EEC and the embryo collection and production teams concerned have been officially approved for exports to the Community by the veterinary services of those third countries.

(4)

Decision 2008/155/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5)

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: