2005/733/EC: Commission Decision of 19 October 2005 concerning certain protection measures in relation to a suspicion of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Turkey and repealing Decision 2005/705/EC (notified under document number C(2005) 4135) (Text with EEA relevance)

• Published date: 12 December 2006
• Subject Matter: Veterinary legislation

20.10.2005 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 274/102

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COMMISSION DECISION

of 19 October 2005

concerning certain protection measures in relation to a suspicion of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Turkey and repealing Decision 2005/705/EC

(notified under document number C(2005) 4135)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2005/733/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15 July 1991 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC (1), and in particular Article 18(1) and (6) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries (2), and in particular Article 22(1), (5) and (6) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 9 October 2005 Turkey has notified to the Commission an outbreak of avian influenza in a poultry farm in the western parts of Anatolia. In order to reduce the risk of disease introduction into the Community, Commission Decision 2005/705/EC of 10 October 2005 concerning certain protection measures in relation to a suspicion of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Turkey (3) was adopted as an immediate measure to suspend imports of birds other than poultry and untreated feathers from Turkey.

(2) Turkey is included in the list in the Annex to Commission Decision 94/85/EC of 16 February 1994 drawing up a list of third countries from which the Member States authorise imports of fresh poultry meat (4). Commission Decision 2003/812/EC of 17 November 2003 drawing up lists of third countries from which Member States are to authorise imports of certain products for human consumption subject to Council Directive 92/118/EEC (5) refers to the aforementioned list.

(3) Commission Decision 2000/666/EC of 16 October 2000 laying down the animal health requirements and the veterinary certification for the import of birds, other than poultry and the conditions for quarantine (6) provides that Member States are to authorise the import of birds from the third countries listed as members of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Turkey is a member of the OIE and accordingly Member States are to accept imports of birds, other than poultry, from Turkey under that Decision.

(4) Under Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 October 2002 laying down health rules concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption (7), the importation of a range of animal by-products, such as gelatine for technical use, materials for pharmaceutical use and others, originating in Turkey, is authorised, because these products are considered safe due to the specific conditions of production, processing and utilisation that effectively inactivate possible pathogens or prevent contact to susceptible animals.

(5) In accordance with Commission Decision 2005/432/EC of 3 June 2005 laying down the animal and public health conditions and model certificates for imports of meat products for human consumption from third countries and repealing Decisions 97/41/EC, 97/221/EC and 97/222/EC (8), importation from Turkey is authorised for those products which have undergone a heat treatment which ensures a minimum temperature of 70 °C throughout the products.

(6) The Turkish authorities have sent further information on the disease situation to the Commission which justify a complete suspension of all imports of live poultry and birds and their products, while at the same time this

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