Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 91/67/EEC of 28 January 1991 concerning the animal health conditions governing the placing on the market of aquaculture animals and products^f1, and in particular Article 20(1) and Article 21(2) thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Decision 2003/858/EC of 21 November 2003 laying down the animal health conditions and certification requirements for imports of live fish, their eggs and gametes intended for farming, and live fish of aquaculture origin and products thereof intended for human consumption^f2, sets out the specific animal health conditions for imports of live fish and certain products of aquaculture origin into the Community from third countries.

The definition of ‘farming’ in Decision 2003/858/EC has led to different interpretations concerning the scope of the Decision. For the sake of clarity, this definition should therefore be made more precise.

The requirements laid down in Council Directive 91/493/EEC of 22 July 1991 laying down the health conditions for the production and the placing on the market of fishery products^f3, apply also to live fish imported for the purpose of human consumption. For the sake of clarity, Article 4 of Decision 2003/858/EC should be amended accordingly.

The import requirements for fish products to be further processed in Decision 2003/858/EC should apply only to species susceptible to diseases referred to in List II of Annex A to Directive 91/67/EEC or diseases that are considered exotic to the Community. Experience has shown that these requirements are not clearly described by the wording of Article 5(2), and therefore that article should be amended for the sake of clarification.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 282/2004 of 18 February 2004 introducing a document for the declaration of, and veterinary checks on, animals from third countries entering the Community^f4, has replaced Decision 92/527/EEC^f5. Where live fish are destined for farming or restocking purposes, the control procedure in Article 8 of Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15 July 1991 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC^f6, should be used and the common veterinary entry document in Regulation (EC) No 282/2004 completed accordingly by the official veterinarian.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 136/2004 of 22 January 2004 laying down procedures for veterinary checks at Community border inspection posts on products imported from third countries^f7 has replaced Decision 93/13/EEC^f8. Where certain products of aquaculture origin are destined for further processing in the Community, the control procedure in Article 8 of Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries^f9 should be used and the common veterinary entry document in Regulation (EC) No 136/2004 completed accordingly by the official veterinarian.

The certification procedures laid down in Article 7 of Decision 2003/858/EC should be amended accordingly, and its Annex VI deleted.

It is necessary, for the sake of simplification and clarification, to harmonise statements on the model certificates laid down in the Annexes to Decision 2003/858/EC, with those on the model certificates laid down pursuant to Directive 91/493/EEC. Annexes II, III, IV and V to Decision 2003/858/EC should be amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: