THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16 December 2002 laying down the animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption, and in particular Article 8(1) and (4) and Article 9(4)(c) thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 2004/68/EC of 26 April 2004 laying down animal health rules for the importation into and transit through the Community of certain live ungulate animals, amending Directives 90/426/EEC and 92/65/EEC and repealing Directive 72/462/EEC, and in particular Article 6(1), Article 7(e) and Article 13(1)(e) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Commission Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 lays down, inter alia, the veterinary certification requirements for the introduction into the Union of certain consignments of live animals, including consignments of ungulates. Part 1 of Annex I to that Regulation establishes a list of third countries, territories or parts thereof from which such consignments may be introduced into the Union, as well as the specific conditions for introduction of such consignments from certain third countries.
(2)
Part 2 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 sets out the models of veterinary certificate for domestic bovine animals (including Bubalus and Bison species and their cross-breeds) intended for breeding and/or production after importation (BOV-X), for domestic ovine and caprine animals (Ovis aries and Capra hircus) intended for breeding and/or production after importation (OVI-X), for domestic ovine and caprine animals (Ovis aries and Capra hircus) intended for immediate slaughter after importation (OVI-Y) and for animals of the order Artiodactyla (excluding bovine animals (including Bubalus and Bison species and their cross-breeds), Ovis aries, Capra hircus, Suidae and Tayassuidae), and of the families Rhinocerotidae and Elephantidae (RUM). Those certificates include guarantees for bluetongue which is a viral disease of ruminants, non-contagious and transmitted by certain species of Culicoides midges.
(3)
A part of the territory of Canada (CA-1) is listed in Part 1 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 as authorised for introduction into the Union of consignments of certain ungulates in accordance with the models of veterinary certificates BOV-X, OVI-X, OVI-Y and RUM.
(4)
Canada has requested to be recognised as being seasonally free of bluetongue. To that aim, Canada have provided information demonstrating that the weather conditions in Canada, between 1 November and 15 May, do not allow the circulation of Culicoides species that would be able to transmit the bluetongue virus.
(5)
The information provided by Canada is in accordance with the standards of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) for demonstration of seasonally freedom of bluetongue and equally to the Union requirements that apply to movements of susceptible animals within the Union. Canada should therefore be granted recognition of the bluetongue seasonally free status with a bluetongue free period between 1 November and 15 May.
(6)
The current regionalisation of Canada in Part 1 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 reflects that only a part of Canada was affected with bluetongue. However, as the seasonally free status is applicable for the whole territory of Canada, the distinction between areas should be deleted.
(7)
Therefore, the list set out in Part 1 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 should be amended in order to set out the specific condition for the introduction into the Union of certain ungulates which are susceptible to bluetongue, from a country or territory with bluetongue seasonally free status and furthermore the recognition of such free status for Canada with a bluetongue-free period between 1 November and 15 May. The models of veterinary certificates BOV-X, OVI-X, OVI-Y and RUM set out in Part 2 of that Annex should be amended in order to introduce the relevant animal health attestations for animals which originate from a bluetongue seasonally free country or territory.
(8)
For reasons of clarity, the entry for Bangladesh in Part 1 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 should be deleted as it ceased to apply on 17 August 2015.
(9)
In Part 2 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010, the supplementary guarantee A refers to certain points in the model of veterinary certificates BOV-X, OVI-X and RUM. As those references are not referring to the correct points in the certificates, this should be amended for reasons of clarity.
(10)
Furthermore, in the model of veterinary certificate OVI-Y, the animal health attestation in point II.2.6 concerning scrapie is obsolete and should be amended as to comply with the requirements for imports of ovine and caprine animals laid down in Chapter E of Annex IX to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
(11)
Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 lays down, inter alia, the animal health conditions for the introduction into the Union of consignments of fresh meat of certain ungulates. Part 1 of Annex II to that Regulation establishes a list of third countries, territories and parts thereof from which such consignments may be introduced into the Union, as well as the model of veterinary certificates corresponding to the consignments concerned and the specific conditions required for introduction from certain third countries.
(12)
Bosnia and Herzegovina has requested to be authorised for transit of fresh meat of domestic bovine animals through Bulgaria, in order to export such fresh bovine meat into Turkey. Bosnia and Herzegovina is already listed in Part 1 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 for the introduction into the Union of consignments of fresh meat. For the entry of Bosnia and Herzegovina in that list, the specific model of veterinary certificate for introduction of consignments of fresh meat of domestic bovine animals (BOV) is not laid down, therefore such transit through the Union or import into the Union is currently not authorised.
(13)
Bosnia and Herzegovina is recognised by the OIE as a country free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination and thereby complies with the specific animal health requirements for the model of veterinary certificate BOV. Therefore the introduction into the Union of fresh meat of domestic bovine animals from Bosnia and Herzegovina should be authorised, but limited only to allow for the transit of such fresh meat through Bulgaria into Turkey.
(14)
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is listed in Part 1 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 as a country authorised for the introduction into the Union of consignments of fresh meat of domestic ovine and caprine animals and domestic solipeds. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has requested to be authorised for introduction into the Union of fresh meat of domestic bovine animals. As that country already provides sufficient animal health guarantees such introduction should be authorised.
(15)
Annexes I and II to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(16)
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: