Commission Regulation (EC) No 119/2009 of 9 February 2009 laying down a list of third countries or parts thereof, for imports into, or transit through, the Community of meat of wild leporidae, of certain wild land mammals and of farmed rabbits and the veterinary certification requirements (Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

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^f1, and in particular the first subparagraph of point 1 of Article 8, Article 9(2)(b) and Article 9(4)(b) and (c) thereof,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs^f2, and in particular Article 12 thereof,

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^f3, and in particular 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^f4, and in particular Articles 11(1) and 14(4) thereof,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules^f5, and in particular Article 48(1) thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Decision 2000/585/EC^f6 draws up a list of third countries from which Member States are to authorise imports of rabbit meat and certain wild and farmed game meat, and lays down the animal and public health and the veterinary certification conditions for such imports.

In the interests of consistency of Community legislation, Community rules for imports of meat of wild leporidae, of certain wild land mammals and of farmed rabbits should take into account the public health requirements laid down in Regulations (EC) No 852/2004, (EC) No 853/2004, (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004.

The measures provided for in this Regulation shall be without prejudice to legislation implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein^f7.

With a view to harmonising Community conditions for imports into the Community of the commodities concerned, as well as making them more transparent and simplifying the legislative procedure for amending such conditions, those conditions should be set out in the appropriate model veterinary certificates set out in this Regulation.

The veterinary certificates for imports into and transit, including storage during transit, through the Community of meat of wild leporidae, of certain wild land mammals and of farmed rabbits should comply with the appropriate standard models set out in Annex I to Commission Decision 2007/240/EC of 16 April 2007 laying down new veterinary certificates for importing live animals, semen, embryos, ova and products of animal origin into the Community pursuant to Decisions 79/542/EEC, 92/260/EEC, 93/195/EEC, 93/196/EEC, 93/197/EEC, 95/328/EC, 96/333/EC, 96/539/EC, 96/540/EC, 2000/572/EC, 2000/585/EC, 2000/666/EC, 2002/613/EC, 2003/56/EC, 2003/779/EC, 2003/804/EC, 2003/858/EC, 2003/863/EC, 2003/881/EC, 2004/407/EC, 2004/438/EC, 2004/595/EC, 2004/639/EC and 2006/168/EC^f8.

The model veterinary certificates, set out in this Regulation, for imports into and transit, including storage during transit, through the Community of meat of wild leporidae, of certain wild land mammals and of farmed rabbits should also be compatible with the Traces system, as provided for in Commission Decision 2004/292/EC of 30 March 2004 on the introduction of the Traces system^f9.

The list of third countries or parts thereof, listed in Annex II to Council Decision 79/542/EEC^f10 should be used for imports into, or transit through, the Community of meat of wild leporidae and of farmed rabbits. The list of countries should be laid down for imports into or transit through, the Community of meat of wild land mammals other than ungulates and leporidae.

Specific conditions for transit via the Community of consignments to and from Russia should be provided for, owing to the geographical situation of Kaliningrad which only concerns Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

To avoid any disruption of trade, the use of the veterinary certificates issued in accordance with Decision 2000/585/EC should be authorised during a transitional period.

In the interests of clarity of Community legislation, Commission Decision 2000/585/EC should be repealed and replaced by this Regulation.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: