THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin, and in particular the second paragraph of Article 9 thereof,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption, and in particular the second paragraph of Article 16 thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
In order to safeguard public and animal health, products from the Union which are transferred, with or without storage, through third countries are regarded as no longer complying with the requirements for those products laid down in Union legislation. Consequently, Council Directive 97/78/EC provides that Member States are required to ensure that veterinary checks are carried out on consignments of these products introduced into the Union from third countries.
(2)
Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 lays down specific rules on the hygiene of food of animal origin for food business operators, including rules for fishery products. In addition, Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 lays down rules for official controls to be carried out on products of animal origin intended for human consumption. Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 provides that a document meeting certain requirements is to accompany consignments of products of animal origin when they enter the Union and official controls of those products are to take place in accordance with that Regulation.
(3)
Commission Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 sets out model health certificates and documents for imports of certain products of animal origin for the purposes of Regulations (EC) Nos 853/2004 and 854/2004, including one for imports of fishery products in Annex VI thereto.
(4)
Member States and stakeholder organisations have requested the Commission to establish a model health certificate for consignments of fishery products intended for human consumption caught by vessels flying the flag of a Member State and transferred in third countries, with or without storage, to be signed by the competent authority in the third country in order to harmonise the information to be provided when such consignments are entering the Union territory.
(5)
The model of health certificate should specifically refer to the relevant provisions concerning the landing, unloading and storing of fishery products laid down in Chapters II and VII of Section VIII of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.
(6)
The model of health certificate should also be compatible for use with the electronic trade control and expert system (TRACES) used for the exchange of health certificates between the third countries and the Member States.
(7)
It is therefore appropriate to establish a harmonised model of health certificate to be signed by the competent authority in the third country through which the fishery products are transferred, before they are dispatched to the Union.
(8)
Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 should be amended accordingly.
(9)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: