Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market^f1, and in particular Article 10 (3) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11 December 1989 concerning veterinary checks in intra-Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal market^f2, and in particular Article 9(3) thereof,

Whereas:

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been declared in the United Kingdom.

The foot-and-mouth disease situation in the United Kingdom is liable to endanger the herds of other Member States in view of the placing on the market and trade in live biungulate animals and certain of their products.

The United Kingdom has taken measures in the framework of Council Directive 2003/85/EC of 29 September 2003 on Community measures for the control of foot-and-mouth disease repealing Directive 85/511/EEC and Decisions 89/531/EEC and 91/665/EEC and amending Directive 92/46/EEC^f3, and has introduced further measures within the affected areas.

The disease situation in the United Kingdom requires reinforcing the control measures for foot-and-mouth disease taken by the United Kingdom by adopting, in collaboration with the Member State concerned and pending the meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, interim Community protective measures.

Council Directive 64/432/EEC^f4, concerns health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine.

Council Directive 91/68/EEC^f5, concerns animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in ovine and caprine animals.

Council Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A (I) to Directive 90/425/EEC^f6 concerns, amongst others, trade in other biungulates and in semen, ova and embryos of sheep and goats, and in embryos of porcine animals.

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^f7 concerns, amongst others, the health conditions for the production and marketing of fresh meat, minced meat, mechanically separated meat, meat preparations, farmed game meat, meat products, including treated stomachs, bladders and intestines, and dairy products.

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^f8 concerns, amongst others, the health marking of food of animal origin.

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^f9 provides for specific treatment of meat products that ensure inactivation of the foot-and-mouth disease virus in products of animal origin.

Commission Decision 2001/304/EC of 11 April 2001 on marking and use of certain animal products in relation to Decision 2001/172/EC concerning certain protection measures with regard to foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom^f10 concerns a specific health mark to be applied to certain products of animal origin that shall be restricted to the national market.

Council Directive 92/118/EEC^f11, lays down animal health and public health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of products not subject to the said requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A (I) to Directive 89/662/EEC and, as regards pathogens, to Directive 90/425/EEC.

Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 October 2002 laying down health rules concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption^f12 provides for a range of treatments of animal by products suitable to inactivate foot-and-mouth disease virus.

Council Directive 88/407/EEC^f13, lays down the animal health requirements applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of deep-frozen semen of domestic animals of the bovine species.

Council Directive 89/556/EEC^f14, concerns the animal health conditions governing intra Community trade in and imports from third countries of embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species.

Council Directive 90/429/EEC^f15, lays down the animal health requirements applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of semen of domestic animals of the porcine species.

Council Directive 90/426/EEC^f16, concerns animal health conditions governing the movement and import from third countries of equidae.

The situation shall be reviewed at the meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health scheduled for 8 August 2007 and the measures adapted where necessary,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: