THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A(I) to Directive 90/425/EEC, and in particular the third indent of Article 11(3), Article 17(2)(b), the first indent of Article 18(1), and the introductory phrase and point (b) of Article 19 thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Part A of Annex IV to Commission Decision 2010/470/EU sets out the model health certificate for intra-Union trade in consignments of ova and embryos of animals of the ovine and caprine species collected or produced after 31 August 2010.
(2)
Part 2 of Annex IV to Commission Decision 2010/472/EU sets out the model health certificate for the importation into the Union of consignments of ova and embryos of animals of the ovine and caprine species.
(3)
Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council lays down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in bovine, ovine and caprine animals. Chapter A of Annex VIII to that Regulation sets out the conditions for intra-Union trade in live animals, semen and embryos. In addition, Annex IX to that Regulation sets out the conditions for the importation into the Union of live animals, embryos, ova and products of animal origin from third countries.
(4)
In the light of new scientific evidence, Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 was amended by Commission Regulation (EU) No 630/2013. Those amendments, relating to scrapie, were reflected by Commission Implementing Decision 2013/470/EU in the model health certificate for intra-Union trade in consignments of ova and embryos of animals of the ovine and caprine species set out in Part A of Annex IV to Decision 2010/470/EU and the model health certificate for imports into the Union of consignments of ova and embryos of animals of the ovine and caprine species set out in Part 2 of Annex IV to Decision 2010/472/EU, with a transitional period until 31 December 2014.
(5)
In accordance with a scientific opinion on the risk of transmission of classical scrapie via in vivo derived embryo transfer in ovine animals of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adopted on 24 January 2013, where it was concluded that the risk of transmitting classical scrapie by the implantation of homozygous or heterozygous ovine ARR embryos could be considered negligible, provided that the OIE recommendations and procedures relating to embryo transfer are followed, the relevant provisions of Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 were amended by Commission Regulation (EU) No 1148/2014.
(6)
The model health certificate for intra-Union trade in consignments of ova and embryos of animals of the ovine and caprine species set out in Part A of Annex IV to Decision 2010/470/EU and the model health certificate for imports into the Union of consignments of ova and embryos of animals of the ovine and caprine species set out in Part 2 of Annex IV to Decision 2010/472/EU should therefore be amended in order to reflect the requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 999/2001, as amended by Regulation (EU) No 1148/2014.
(7)
In addition, in the model health certificate for intra-Union trade in consignments of ova and embryos of animals of the ovine and caprine species set out in Part A of Annex IV to Decision 2010/470/EU, certain references to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 need to be amended in order to remove any ambiguity.
(8)
Furthermore, in the model health certificate for imports into the Union of consignments of ova and embryos of animals of the ovine and caprine species set out in Part 2 of Annex IV to Decision 2010/472/EU, a more precise wording is required in order to ensure a clear understanding that testing regimes referring to epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD) apply to the donor females of ovine or caprine species.
(9)
Decisions 2010/470/EU and 2010/472/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.
(10)
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: