Council Directive of 14 June 1988 laying down the animal health requirements applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of deep-frozen semen of domestic animals of the bovine species (88/407/EEC)

CHAPTER IIIU.K.Imports from third countries

Article 8U.K.

1.A Member State may authorize importation of semen only from those third countries which appear on a list drawn up in accordance with [F1the procedure referred to in Article 18(2)]. That list may be supplemented or amended in accordance with [F1the procedure referred to in Article 18(2)].

2.In deciding whether a third country may appear on the list referred to in paragraph 1, particular account shall be taken of:

(a)the state of health of the livestock, other domestic animals and wildlife in the third country, with particular reference to exotic animal diseases, and of the environmental health situation in that country, which might endanger animal health in the Member States;

(b)the regularity and rapidity of the information supplied by the third country concerning the existence of contagious animal diseases in its territory, in particular those diseases mentioned in lists A and B of the International Office of Epizootic Diseases;

(c)that country's rules on animal disease prevention and control;

(d)the structure of the veterinary services in the country and their powers;

(e)the organization and implementation of measures to prevent and control contagious animal diseases; and

(f)the guarantees which the third country can give with regard to compliance with this Directive.

3.The list referred to in paragraph 1 and all amendments thereto shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

Article 9U.K.

[F11. The lists of semen collection and storage centres from which Member States shall authorise the importation of semen originating in third countries shall be prepared and updated in accordance with this Article.

An establishment may be placed on such a list only if the competent authority of the third country of origin guarantees that the conditions referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3(b) to (e) are met.

The competent authorities of the third countries appearing on lists drawn up and updated in accordance with Article 8 shall guarantee that lists of semen collection and storage centres from which the semen may be dispatched to the Community are drawn up, kept up-to-date and communicated to the Commission.

The Commission shall provide the contact points designated by Member States with regular notifications concerning new or updated lists that it has received from the competent authorities of the third countries concerned in accordance with subparagraph 3.

If no Member State objects to the new or updated list within 20 working days of the Commission's notification, imports shall be authorised from establishments appearing on the list 10 working days after the day on which the Commission makes it available to the public.

Where written comments are made by at least one Member State or whenever it considers that amendments to a list are necessary in the light of relevant information such as Community inspection reports or the results of the controls carried out under Article 12, the Commission shall inform all Member States and include the matter on the agenda for the relevant sector at the next meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health for decision in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 18(2).

The Commission shall arrange for up-to-date versions of all lists to be made available to the public.]

2.In deciding whether a [F1semen collection or storage centre] in a third country may appear on the list referred to in paragraph 1, particular account shall be taken of the veterinary supervision of semen production systems in the third country, the powers of the veterinary services and the supervision to which [F1semen collection or storage centres] are subject.

3.A [F1semen collection or storage centre] may appear on the list provided for in paragraph 1 only if:

(a)it is situated in one of the countries on the list referred to in Article 8 (1);

(b)it fulfils the requirements of Chapters I and II of Annex A;

(c)it has been officially approved for exports to the Community by the veterinary services of the third country concerned;

(d)it is under the supervision of a centre veterinarian of the third country concerned; and

(e)it is subject to regular inspection by an official veterinarian of the third country concerned at least twice a year.

Article 10U.K.

1.Semen must come from animals which, immediately prior to collection of their semen, have remained for at least six months in the territory of a third country on the list drawn up in accordance with Article 8 (1).

2.Without prejudice to Article 8 (1) and paragraph 1 of this Article, the Member States shall not authorize the importation of semen from a third country on the list unless the semen complies with the animal health requirements adopted, in accordance with [F1the procedure referred to in Article 18(2)], for imports of semen from that country.

In adopting the requirements referred to in the preceding subparagraph, consideration shall be given to:

(a)the health situation in the area surrounding the semen collection centre, with particular reference to the diseases appearing on list A of the International Office of Epizootic Diseases;

(b)the state of health of the herd in the semen collection centre, including testing requirements;

(c)the state of health of the donor animal and testing requirements;

(d)testing requirements in relation to semen.

3.The reference basis for fixing animal health conditions in accordance with paragraph 2 for bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis shall be the standards laid down in Annex A to Directive 64/432/EEC. It may be decided, in accordance with [F1the procedure referred to in Article 18(2)], on a case-by-case basis, to waive these conditions where the third country concerned provides similar animal health guarantees; in that case, animal health conditions at least equivalent to those in Annex A to that Directive shall be laid down in accordance with the same procedure in order to permit the entry of such animals into semen collection centres.

4.Article 4 shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Article 11U.K.

1.Member States shall authorize the importation of semen only on submission of an animal health certificate drawn up and signed by an official veterinarian of the third country of collection.

This certificate must:

(a)be drawn up in at least one of the official languages of the Member State of destination and one of those of the Member State where the import control provided for in Article 12 is carried out;

(b)accompany the semen in the original;

(c)be drawn up on a single sheet of paper;

(d)be made out to a single consignee.

2.The certificate must correspond to a specimen drawn up in accordance with [F1the procedure referred to in Article 18(2)].

[F2Article 12 U.K.

The rules laid down in Council Directive 90/675/EEC of 10 December 1990 laying down the principles governing the organization of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries (1) shall apply in particular to the organization and follow-up of checks to be carried out by the Member States and the safeguard measures to be applied.]

F3Article 13U.K.

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F3Article 14U.K.

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