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COMMISSION DECISION
of 9 April 1986
concerning animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of fresh meat from Uruguay
(86/192/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 health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine animals and swine and fresh meat from third countries (1), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3768/85 (2), and in particular Article 16 thereof,
Whereas animal health conditions and veterinary certification requirements for imports of fresh meat from Uruguay have been established by Commission Decision 85/96/EEC (3), particularly as regards foot-and-mouth disease;
Whereas recently evolved scientific conclusions in respect of the survival of foot-and-mouth disease virus in certain categories of fresh meat suggest that a general review of import conditions for this meat from countries where the disease is endemic should take place;
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 of fresh meat from Uruguay as follows:
(a) de-boned fresh meat of bovine animals, sheep and goats, excluding offal, from which have been removed the major accessible lymphatic glands, which presents the guarantees laid down in the accompanying animal health certificate corresponding with the specimen given in Annex A;
(b) fresh meat of domestic solipeds which presents the guarantees laid down in the accompanying animal health certificate corresponding with the specimen given in Annex B;
(c) the following offal of bovine animals:
- completely trimmed hearts,
- completely trimmed diaphragmatic muscles,
- completely trimmed tongues with epithelium and without bone, cartilage or tonsils,
which presents the guarantees laid down in the accompanying animal health certificate corresponding with the specimen given in Annex C.
2. Member States shall prohibit the import of categories of fresh meat from Uruguay other than those mentioned in paragraph 1.
Article 2
1. By way of derogation from Article 1 (2), Member States may also authorize the importation of certain kinds of offal of bovine animals:
- completely trimmed livers,
- completely trimmed masseter muscles,
- trimmed lungs,
- other trimmed offal without bone or cartilage,
presenting at least the guarantees laid down in the accompanying animal health certificate corresponding with the specimen given in Annex D. Masseter muscles may be used either for human consumption or in the manufacture of pet food. Lungs, livers and other offal are to be used in the manufacture of pet food only.
2. The authorization, provided for in paragraph 1, to import the offal described above for human consumption or for use in the manufacture of pet food can only be given to establishments especially approved for this purpose by the Member States. Member States shall immediately inform the Commission of the approval and the conditions of approval of such establishments.
In any case, the authorization can only be given to a processing establishment approved by the national authorities and under continuous veterinary supervision and on condition that a guarantee is provided that the raw material will be used only for the specified purpose without risk of contact with any product which remains unsterilized, and that it will not leave the establishment in its
original state, except in case of necessity where it is consigned to an animal carcase destruction plant under the control of an official veterinarian. In addition the following minimum conditions shall be met:
(a) on dispatch to Community territory, the raw material shall be enclosed in leak-proof and sealed containers. In case masseter muscles are used for human consumption, the cartons, the containers and the accompanying documents must be marked: 'Use restricted to the manufacture of cooked meat based products'. In case livers, masseter muscles, lungs or other offal are used in the manufacture of pet food, the cartons, the containers and the accompanying documents must be marked: 'Use restricted to the manufacture of pet food'. In both cases, the containers and the accompanying documents shall bear the name and address of the consignee.
(b) the raw material shall be transported from the point of arrival in Community territory in containers or means of transport which are leak-proof, duly sealed, to the processing establishment approved by the national authorities and under continuous veterinary supervision.
However, in case of necessity, the raw material may be consigned temporarily to a cold store which is approved for the purpose and is under continuous veterinary supervision provided the above conditions are met;
(c) on arrival in the territory of the Member State of destination and before dispatch of the raw material to the approved processing establishment, notification of intending dispatch shall be made by the quickest route possible to the local official veterinarian;
(d) the raw material, during manufacture, shall be sterilized in tins in such a way as to achieve a minimum Fc value of 3 and a veterinary inspection shall be made to ensure that the finished product has actually achieved that value;
(e) the vehicles and containers or any other means of transport referred to in (b) and all equipment and utensils which come into contact with the raw material before sterilization shall be cleansed and disinfected and packagings shall be destroyed in an incinerator.
3. The authorization mentioned in paragraph 1 shall be notified to the competent authorities of Member States through which the raw material will pass.
Article 3
While continuing to prohibit routine vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease in their territories, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom may, in respect of the de-bpned fresh meat of bovine animals, sheep and goats referred to in Article 1 (1) (a) and of the offal referred to in Article 1 (1) (c), retain the arrangements which they were applying to the importation of this fresh meat until the date of application of this Decision.
Article 4
This Decision shall not apply to imports of glands and organs authorized by the country of destination for pharmaceutical manufacturing purposes.
Article 5
This Decision shall apply with effect from 1 April 1986. However, the certificate currently used, amended if necessary in accordance with the provisions of this Decision, may be used until 30 June 1986.
Article 6
This Decision shall be reviewed in the light of the evolution of foot-and-mouth disease in the Community and in the event of any changes in the control measures taken for this disease.
Article 7
Decision 85/96/EEC is hereby repealed.
Article 8
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 9 April 1986.