THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof,

Whereas live animals and products of animal origin are included in the list of products in Annex II to the Treaty; whereas the placing on the market of such animals and products constitutes a source of income for part of the farming population;

Whereas in order to ensure the rational development in this sector and increase productivity, animal health rules for the animals and products should be laid down at Community level;

Whereas the Community must adopt the measures intended to establish the internal market progressively over a period expiring on 31 December 1992;

Whereas in view of the abovementioned objectives the Council has laid down animals health rules applicable to cattle, swine, sheep and goats, equidae, poultry and hatching eggs, fish and fish products, bivalve molluscs, semen of bulls and boars, ovine embryos, fresh meat, poultrymeat, meat products, game meat and rabbit meat;

Whereas animal health rules should be adopted for the placing on the market of animals and products of animal origin which are not yet covered by the abovementioned rules;

Whereas, save where otherwise provided, trade in animals and products of animal origin must be liberalized, without prejudice to recourse to possible safeguard measures;

Whereas, given the significant risk of the spread of diseases to which animals are exposed, for certain animals and products of animal origin particular requirements should be specified to be imposed when they are placed on the market for the purposes of trade, particularly when intended for regions with a high health status;

Whereas the specific situation pertaining in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and in Ireland given the insular position of those countries, and the fact that they have been free of rabies for a considerable period of time, warrants particular provisions to ensure that the placing on the market in the United Kingdom and Ireland of dogs and cats which do not originate in those countries does not involve a risk of introducing rabies into those States, without however affecting the abolition of veterinary checks at the frontiers between Member States;

Whereas a health certificate is the most appropriate means of guaranteeing and monitoring compliance with these requirements;

Whereas provision should be made for a procedure establishing close co-operation between the Member States and the Commission within the Standing Veterinary Committee;

Whereas the deadline for transposition into national law, set at 1 January 1994 in Article 29, should not affect the abolition of veterinary checks at frontiers on 1 January 1993,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: