2008/155/EC: Commission Decision of 14 February 2008 establishing a list of embryo collection and production teams in third countries approved for imports of bovine embryos into the Community (notified under document number C(2008) 517) (Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 89/556/EEC of 25 September 1989 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in and importation from third countries of embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species⁽¹⁾, and in particular Article 8(1) thereof,

Whereas:

1. Directive 89/556/EEC sets out the animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in and importation from third countries of fresh and frozen embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species.

2. Commission Decision 92/452/EEC of 30 July 1992 establishing lists of embryo collection teams and embryo production teams approved in third countries for export of bovine embryos to the Community⁽²⁾ provides that Member States are to import embryos from third countries only if they have been collected, processed and stored by embryo collection teams included in the lists in the Annex to that Decision.

3. Commission Decision 2006/168/EC of 4 January 2006 establishing the animal health and veterinary certification requirements for imports into the Community of bovine embryos and repealing Decision 2005/217/EC⁽³⁾ provides that Member States are to authorise imports of embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species collected or produced in a third country listed in Annex I to that Decision by approved embryo collection or production teams listed in the Annex to Decision 92/452/EEC.

4. New Zealand has requested that one embryo collection team be deleted from the list in the Annex to Decision 92/452/EEC, as regards the entries for that third country.

5. Argentina, Australia, Canada, Switzerland and the United States have also requested that numerous amendments be made to the entries for those third countries in the list in the Annex to Decision 92/452/EEC, as regards certain embryo collection and production teams. They have also provided guarantees with regard to compliance with the appropriate rules set out in Directive 89/556/EEC for the teams to be added to that list. The embryo collection and production teams listed in the Annex to this Decision fulfil the conditions relating to the collection, processing, storage and transport of embryos set out in Directive 89/556/EEC. They have been approved by the competent authorities of those third countries as referred to in that Directive.

6. In the interest of clarity of Community legislation, Decision 92/452/EEC should be repealed and replaced by this Decision.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: