Commission Decision

of 4 August 2005

amending Decision 93/195/EEC on animal health conditions and veterinary certification for the re-entry of registered horses for racing, competition and cultural events after temporary export

(notified under document number C(2005) 2933)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2005/605/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 90/426/EEC of 26 June 1990 on animal health conditions governing the movement and import from third countries of equidae [1], and in particular Article 19 (ii) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) In accordance with the general rules laid down in Annex II to Commission Decision 93/195/EEC [2] the re-entry of registered horses for racing, competition and cultural events after temporary export is restricted to horses kept for less than 30 days in any of the third countries listed in the same group in Annex I to that Decision.

(2) Given the degree of veterinary supervision and the fact that the horses concerned are kept separate from animals of lower health status, the period of temporary export should be extended to less than 90 days and the animal health conditions and the veterinary certification should accordingly be laid down for the re-entry of registered horses after temporary export to participate in specific horse races, competitions or cultural events taking place in Canada or the United States of America.

(3) In 2005 the Spanish Riding School of Vienna will hold presentations in the United States of America, commemorating the 60th anniversary of General George Patton’s rescue of the Austrian Lipizzaner at the end of World War II. Those presentations should be considered a specific equestrian event qualifying for the application of the specific re-entry conditions.

(4) Decision 93/195/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5) 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:

Article 1

Decision 93/195/EEC is amended as follows:

1. In Article 1, the third indent is replaced by the following:

"— have taken part in specific races, competitions or cultural events in Canada or the United States of America and meet the requirements laid down in a health certificate in accordance with the model health certificate set out in Annex III to this Decision."

2. Annex III is replaced by the text in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 4 August 2005.

For the Commission

Markos Kyprianou

Member of the Commission

[1] OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 42. Directive as last amended by Directive 2004/68/EC (OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 321).

[2] OJ L 86, 6.4.1993, p. 1. Decision as last amended by Decision 2004/211/EC (OJ L 73, 11.3.2004, p. 1).

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ANNEX

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"ANNEX III

HEALTH CERTIFICATEfor re-entry of registered horses after temporary export to Canada or the United States of America for less than 90 days to participate in specific races, competitions or cultural eventsCertificate No:Specific event:Presentations in the United States of America in 2005 by the Spanish Riding School in Vienna to commemorate the 60th anniversary of General George Patton’s rescue of the Austrian LipizzanerExporting third country:(insert name of country)Responsible ministry:(insert name of ministry)I. Identification of horse(a) No of identification document:(b) Validated by:(name of competent authority)II. Origin of horseThe horse is to be sent from:(place whence consigned)to:(place of destination)by air:(give flight number)Name and address of consignor:Name and address of consignee:III. Health informationI, the undersigned, certify that the horse described above meets the following requirements:(a) it comes from a country where the following diseases are compulsorily notifiable: African horse sickness, dourine, glanders, equine encephalomyelitis (of all types including Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis), equine infectious anaemia, vesicular stomatitis, rabies, anthrax;(b) it has been examined today and shows no clinical signs of disease (1);(c) it is not intended for slaughter under a national programme of infectious or contagious disease eradication;(d) since its entry into the country of dispatch, it has been resident on holdings under veterinary supervision, accommodated in separated stables without coming into contact with equidae of lower health status;

(e) it comes from the territory or in the case of official regionalisation according to Community legislation from a part of the territory of a third country in which:(i) Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis has not occurred during the last two years,(ii) dourine has not occurred during the last six months,(iii) glanders has not occurred during the last six months;(f) it does not come from the territory or from a part of the territory of a third country considered, in accordance with Community legislation, as infected with African horse sickness;(g) it does not come from a holding which was subject to a prohibition order for animal health reasons nor had contact with equidae from a holding which was subject to prohibition order for animal health reasons which laid down the following conditions:(i) if not all animals of species susceptible to one or more of the diseases referred to hereinafter were removed from the holding, the prohibition lasted for:six months in the case of equine encephalomyelitis, beginning on the date on which the equidae suffering from the disease are slaughtered or removed from the premises,a period required to carry out two Coggins tests three months apart giving negative results on samples taken from the animals remaining after infected animals have been slaughtered, in the case of equine infectious anaemia,one month from the last recorded case, in the case of rabies,15 days from the last recorded case, in the case of anthrax,(ii) if all the animals of species susceptible to the disease have been slaughtered or removed from the holding, the period of prohibition shall be 30 days, or 15 days in the case of anthrax, beginning on the day on which the premises were cleaned and disinfected following the destruction or removal of the animals;(h) it comes from a holding which(i) either was not subject to a prohibition order for vesicular stomatitis and the animal had no contact with equidae from a holding which was subject to such prohibition order during the past six months (2),or(ii) was free of vesicular stomatitis during the 30 days prior to dispatch and on which the animal was protected from vector insects during those 30 days prior to dispatch and where it underwent one of the following health tests carried out on a blood sample taken not earlier than 21 days after the commencement of the vector protection period:a virus neutralisation test giving negative results at a serum dilution of 1 in 12 (2),ora serological test carried out giving negative results in accordance with Chapter 2.1.2 of the Manual for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (2);(i) to the best of my knowledge, it has not been in contact with equidae suffering from an infectious or contagious disease in the 15 days prior to this declaration.

IV. Residence and quarantine information:(a) The horse entered the territory of the country of dispatch on (insert date).(b) The horse arrived in the country of dispatch from either a Member State of the European Community (2) or from (2) (insert name of country from where the horse arrived in the country of export), the latter being one of the countries in North America listed in Group C in Annex I to Decision 2004/211/EC.(c) The horse entered the country of dispatch under animal health conditions at least as strict as those laid down in this certificate.(d) As far as can be ascertained and based on the attached declaration (which forms part of the certificate) by the owner (2) or the representative of the owner (2) of the horse, the horse has not been continuously outside the European Community for 90 days or more, including the date of scheduled return in accordance with this certificate, and has not been outside the countries referred to above.V. The horse will be sent in a vehicle cleaned and disinfected in advance with a disinfectant officially recognised in the country of dispatch and designed in a way that droppings, litter or fodder cannot escape during transportation.VI. The certificate is valid for 10 days.DatePlaceStamp and signature of the official veterinarian (*)Name in block capitals and capacity(*) The colour of the stamp and the signature must be different from that of the printed model.

DECLARATIONI, the undersigned(insert name of owner (2) or representative (2) of owner of the horse described above in block letters)declare:the horse will be sent directly from the premises of dispatch to the premises of destination without coming into contact with other equidae not of the same health status,the horse is moved only between premises under the supervision of central competent authorities of the country of dispatch,the horse was exported from a Member State of the European Union on (insert date).(Place, date)(Signature)(1) The certificate must be issued on the day of loading of the animal for dispatch to the European Union or on the last working day before embarkation.(2) Delete as appropriate."

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