COMMISSION DECISION of 18 July 1989 laying down the criteria for approval and supervision of breeders' associations and breeding organizations which establish or maintain herd-books for pure-bred breeding pigs (89/501/EEC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 88/661/EEC of 19 December 1988 on the zootechnical standards applicable to breeding animals of the porcine species (1), and in particular the fourth indent of Article 6 (1) thereof,

Whereas in all Member States herd-books are maintained or established by breeders' associations, breeding organizations or official services; whereas it is therefore necessary to lay down the criteria for the approval of breeders' associations and breeding organizations;

Whereas breeders' associations or breeding organizations must apply for official approval to the competent authorities of the Member State on whose territory their headquarters are situated;

Whereas, where breeders' associations or breeding organizations meet certain criteria and have defined targets, they must be officially approved by the authorities of the Member State to which they have applied;

Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Zootechnics,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

In order to be officially approved, breeders' associations or breeding organizations which maintain or establish

herd-books must submit an application to the authorities of the Member State on whose territory their headquarters are situated.

Article 2

The authorities of the Member State concerned must grant official approval to any breeders' association or breeding organization which maintains or establishes herd-books if it meets the conditions laid down in the Annex.

However, in a Member State in which in respect of a given breed one or more officially-approved breeders' associations or breeding organizations already exist, the authorities of the Member State concerned may refuse to recognize a new breeders' association or breeding organization if it endangers the preservation of the breed or jeopardizes the zootechnical programme of the existing association or organization. In such a case, the Member State shall inform the Commission of approvals granted and refusals to give recognition.

Article 3

The authorities of the Member State concerned shall withdraw official approval from any breeders' association or breeding organization which maintains herd-books if the conditions laid down in the Annex are no longer being fulfilled in a persistent manner by the breeders' association or breeding organization concerned.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 18 July 1989.

For the Commission

Ray MAC SHARRY

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ No L 382, 31. 12. 1988, p. 36.

ANNEX

In order to be officially approved, breeders' associations and breeding organizations which maintain or establish a herd-book must:

1. have legal personality in accordance with the legislation in force in the Member State where the application is made;

2. prove to the competent authorities:

(a) that they operate efficiently;

(b) that they can carry out the checks necessary for recording pedigrees;

(c) that they have a sufficiently large herd to carry out a breed improvement programme, or that they have a sufficiently large herd to preserve the breed where this is considered necessary;

(d) that they can make use of the livestock performance data necessary for carrying out their breed improvement or preservation programme;

3. have a set of rules covering:

(a) the definition of the breed's (or breeds') characteristics;

(b) the system for identifying animals;

(c) the system for recording pedigrees;

(d) the definition of their breeding objectives;

(e) the systems for making use of livestock performance data, enabling the genetic value of the animals to be assessed;

(f) the division of the herd-book, if there are different conditions for entering animals or if there are different procedures for classifying the animals entered in the book;

4. have articles of association, laying down, in particular, the principle of non-discrimination between members.