Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996 on measures to monitor certain substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products and repealing Directives 85/358/EEC and 86/469/EEC and Decisions 89/187/EEC and 91/664/EEC ^f1, and in particular Article 6 (2) thereof,

Whereas Annex IV to Directive 96/23/EC fixes sampling levels and frequencies for live animals and certain products listed in Annex II and entrusts the Commission with the task of determining them for certain other animal products;

Whereas Council Directive 85/73/EEC of 29 January 1985 on the financing of veterinary inspections and controls covered by Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 90/675/EEC and 91/496/EEC ^f2, as last amended by Directive 96/43/EC ^f3, has fixed in Annex B the fees intended to ensure that the controls on live animals and products of animal origin provided for in Directive 96/23/EC are carried out;

Whereas, in the light of the experience gained through the existing national measures and the information forwarded to the Commission under existing Community rules, sampling levels and frequencies should be fixed for the animal products not already mentioned in Annex IV to Directive 96/23/EC;

Whereas the sampling levels and frequencies provided for in this Decision must be integrated into the residue monitoring plans not later than the update scheduled for 1999, to be submitted by the Member States before 31 March 1999;

Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: