http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/eudn/2017/99

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/99

of 18 January 2017

amending Decision 93/195/EEC as regards animal health and veterinary certification conditions for the re-entry of registered horses for racing, competition and cultural events after temporary export to Mexico and the United States of America, and amending Annex I to Decision 2004/211/EC as regards the entries for China and Mexico in the list of third countries and parts thereof from which imports into the Union of live equidae and semen, ova and embryos of the equine species are authorised

(notified under document C(2017) 128)

(Text with EEA relevance)

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/EEC1, and in particular 17(3)(a) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 2009/156/EC of 30 November 2009 on animal health conditions governing the movement and importation from third countries of equidae2, and in particular Article 12(1) and (4), and the introductory phrase and points (a) and (b) of Article 19 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Directive 2009/156/EC lays down animal health conditions for the importation into the Union of live equidae. It provides that imports of equidae into the Union are only authorised from third countries that meet certain animal health requirements.

(2)

Commission Decision 93/195/EEC3 provides models of health certificates for the re-entry of registered horses into the Union after temporary export to participate in racing, competition and cultural events. The model health certificate in Annex II to that Decision provides, amongst other things, that a registered horse temporarily exported for a period of not more than 30 days must, since its exit from the Union, only have been in the third country from where it is certified for re-entry in the Union or in a third country assigned to the same sanitary group as indicated in Annex I to that Decision.

(3)

The equestrian events of the LG Global Champions Tour will take place under the auspices of the Fédération Equestre Internationale in Miami, United States, and in the Metropolitan area of Mexico City, Mexico, from 30 March to 30 April 2017.

(4)

As the LG Global Champions Tour events in the United States and in the Metropolitan area of Mexico City will be subject to a high degree of official veterinary supervision, it is possible to lay down specific animal health and veterinary certification conditions for the re-entry into the Union of those horses that have been temporarily exported for a period of not more than 30 days for the purpose of participating in those equestrian events.

(5)

In order to authorise the re-entry into the Union between 30 March and 30 April 2017 of registered horses for racing, competition and cultural events after temporary export for the purpose of taking part in the LG Global Champion Tour in Miami and in Mexico City, and in order to provide for a model health certificate to cover such registered horses, it is necessary to amend Decision 93/195/EEC.

(6)

Decision 93/195/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7)

Commission Decision 2004/211/EC4 establishes a list of third countries, or parts thereof where regionalisation applies, from which Member States are to authorise the importation of equidae and semen, ova and embryos thereof, and indicates the other conditions applicable to such imports. That list is set out in Annex I to Decision 2004/211/EC.

(8)

In order to host equestrian events of the LG Global Champions Tour during 30-day periods in 2014, 2015 and 2016, carried out under the auspices of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the competent Chinese authorities requested that a part of the Metropolitan area of Shanghai be recognised as an equine disease-free zone.

(9)

In light of the guarantees and information provided by the Chinese authorities and in order to provide for the re-entry of registered horses into the Union after temporary export to a specific part of the territory of China for a limited time frame, in accordance with the requirements of Decision 93/195/EEC, the Commission adopted Implementing Decisions 2014/127/EU5, (EU) 2015/5576 and (EU) 2016/3617 by which the region CN-2 was temporarily approved.

(10)

The competent Chinese authorities have requested that region CN-2 be recognised as an equine disease-free zone for the purpose of the 2017 LG Global Champions Tour, to be carried out under the auspices of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). Since this event will take place under the same animal health and quarantine conditions as were applicable in 2014, 2015 and 2016, it is appropriate to adapt the date in column 15 of the table in Annex I to Decision 2004/211/EC in respect of the region CN-2 in order to provide for a temporary approval of that zone only.

(11)

As the Metropolitan area of Mexico City is a region of high altitude with a reduced risk of vector-borne transmission of vesicular stomatitis or certain subtypes of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis, and as it is a region in which Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis has not been reported for more than two years, authorisation should be given for the re-entry into the Union of registered horses for racing, competition and cultural events after temporary export for a period of less than 30 days to the Metropolitan area of Mexico City from 30 March 2017 to 30 April 2017. It is necessary to amend the entry for Mexico in the list in Annex I to Decision 2004/211/EC.

(12)

Decision 2004/211/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(13)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: