9.5.1992
EN
Official Journal of the European Communities
L 124/42
COMMISSION DECISION
of 14 April 1992
concerning the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for the importation of meat products from Tunisia and amending Council Decision 79/542/EEC and Commission Decision 91/449/EEC
(92/245/EEC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972 on animal health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine, ovine and caprine animals and swine, fresh meat or meat products from third countries ( 1 ) , as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3763/91 ( 2 ) , and in particular Articles 21a and 22 thereof,
Whereas Council Decision 79/542/EEC ( 3 ) , as last amended by Commission Decision 92/162/EEC ( 4 ) , draws up a list of third countries from which the Member States authorize imports of bovine animals, swine and equidae, fresh meat and meat products; whereas this list was supplemented by Commission Decision 91/361/EEC ( 5 ) by the addition, inter alia, of Tunisia for the purpose of allowing importation of meat products which have been treated in a hermetically sealed container to an F o value of three or more;
Whereas Commission Decision 91/449/EEC ( 6 ) , as last amended by Decision 91/244/EEC ( 7 ) , lays down the specimen animal health certificates in respect of meat products imported from third countries;
Whereas, following a Community veterinary mission, it appears that notwithstanding the animal health situation, Tunisia is covered by sufficiently well-structured and organized veterinary services; whereas the production of certain heat-treated meat products for export to the Community will be supervised by an official veterinarian appointed by the Department of Veterinary Services;
Whereas animal health conditions and veterinary certification must be adapted according to the animal health situation of the third country concerned;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. Member States shall authorize the importation from Tunisia of meat products which have undergone:
—
either a treatment in a hermetically sealed container to an F o value of three or more,
—
or a heat treatment so that a centre temperature of at least 80 o C has been achieved.
2. Member States shall not authorize the importation from Tunisia of meat products other than those referred to in paragraph 1.
Article 2
1. Decision 79/542/EEC is amended as follows:
(a)
in the Annex under the column headed ‘special remarks’ concerning meat products, the figure ‘(4)’ is inserted in the line corresponding to Tunisia after the figure (3);
(b)
at the end of the list of countries under the footnote heading ‘Special remarks’, the following last sentence is added:
‘(4)
Notwithstanding any restrictions indicated in the above list, meat products which have undergone a heat treatment so that a centre temperature of at least 80 o C has been achieved are authorized.’
2. In Part II of Annex C to Decision 91/449/EEC the list of countries approved to use the model animal health certificate is hereby amended by the insertion of the following country:
‘Tunisia’.
Article 3
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 14 April 1992.
For the Commission
Ray MAC SHARRY
Member of the Commission
( 1 ) OJ No L 302, 31. 12. 1972, p. 28 .
( 2 ) OJ No L 356, 24. 12. 1991, p. 1 .
( 3 ) OJ No L 146, 14. 6. 1979, p. 15 .
( 4 ) OJ No L 71, 18. 3. 1992, p. 30 .
( 5 ) OJ No L 195, 18. 7. 1991, p. 43 .
( 6 ) OJ No L 240, 29. 8. 1991, p. 28 .
( 7 ) See page 40 of this Official Journal.