This Regulation lays down:
the public and animal health conditions and certification requirements for the introduction into the European Union of consignments of raw milk, dairy products, colostrum and colostrum-based products;
the list of third countries from which the introduction into the European Union of such consignments is authorised.
This Regulation shall apply without prejudice to any specific certification requirements laid down in other Union acts or in agreements concluded by the Union with third countries.
Member States shall authorise the importation of consignments of raw milk, dairy products, colostrum and colostrum-based products from the third countries or parts thereof listed in column A of Annex I.
Member States shall authorise the importation of consignments of dairy products derived from raw milk of cows, ewes, goats or buffaloes from the third countries or parts thereof not at risk from foot-and-mouth disease listed in column B of Annex I, provided that such dairy products have undergone, or been produced from raw milk which has undergone a pasteurisation treatment involving a single heat treatment:
with a heating effect at least equivalent to that achieved by a pasteurisation process of at least 72 °C for 15 seconds;
where applicable, sufficient to ensure a negative reaction to an alkaline phosphatase test applied immediately after the heat treatment.
Member States shall authorise the importation of consignments of dairy products derived from raw milk of cows, ewes, goats, buffaloes or, where specifically authorised in Annex I, from camels of the species Camelus dromedarius from the third countries or parts thereof at risk of foot-and-mouth disease listed in column C of Annex I, provided that such dairy products have undergone, or been produced from raw milk which has undergone, a heat treatment involving:
a sterilisation process, to achieve an F0 value equal to or greater than three;
an ultra high temperature (UHT) treatment at not less than 135 °C in combination with a suitable holding time;
a high temperature short time pasteurisation treatment (HTST) at 72 °C for 15 seconds applied twice to milk with a pH equal to or greater than 7.0 achieving, where applicable, a negative reaction to a alkaline phosphatase test, applied immediately after the heat treatment; or
a treatment with an equivalent pasteurisation effect to point (i) achieving, where applicable, a negative reaction to an alkaline phosphatase test, applied immediately after the heat treatment;
a HTST treatment of milk with a pH below 7.0; or
a HTST treatment combined with another physical treatment by either:
lowering the pH below 6 for one hour, or
additional heating equal to or greater than 72 °C, combined with desiccation.
Member States shall authorise the importation of consignments of dairy products derived from raw milk of animals other than those referred to in paragraph 1, from the third countries or parts thereof at risk of foot-and-mouth disease listed in column C of Annex I, provided that such dairy products have undergone, or been produced from raw milk which has undergone a treatment involving:
a sterilisation process, to achieve an F0 value equal to or greater than three; or
an ultra high temperature (UHT) treatment at not less than 135 °C in combination with a suitable holding time.
Consignments authorised for importation in accordance with Articles 2, 3 and 4 shall be accompanied by a health certificate drawn up in accordance with the appropriate model set out in Part 2 of Annex II for the commodity concerned and completed in accordance with the explanatory notes set out in Part 1 of that Annex.
However, the requirements laid down in this Article shall not preclude the use of electronic certification or of other agreed systems, harmonised at European Union level.