12.10.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L 258/49 THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 91/494/EEC of 26 June 1991 on animal health conditions governing intra-Comunity COMMISSION DECISION of 29 September 2000 laying down animal and public health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of farmed ratite meat amending Decision 94/85/EC drawing up a list of third countries from which the Member States authorise imports of fresh poultry meat (notified under document number C(2000) 2885) (Text with EEA relevance) (2000/609EC) poultry meat from third countries (%), as last amended by Decision 2000/352/EEC (’), nor Commission Decision 97/219/EC of 28 February 1997 laying down animal and public health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of farmed game meat and rabbit meat from third countries (%), as amended by Commission Decision trade and imports from third countries of fresh poultrymeat (%), sions. as last amended by Directive 1999/89/EC (%), and in particular Articles 9(1), 11(1), 12, 14(1) and 14a thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 92/118/EEC of 17 December 1992 laying down animal health and public health 2000/160/EC (°), are applicable to ratite meat because of these birds is excluded from the scopes of these Deci- (5) It is necessary to lay down the animal and public health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of products not subject to the said requirements o . laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex (6) ~ Commission Decision 96/659[EC of 22 November A(1), to Directive 89/662/EEC and, as regards pathogens, to Directive 90/425[EEC (}), as last amended by Directive 97/ 79/EC (), and in particular Article 10 thereof, Whereas: these guarantees should be taken into consideration. (1) Ratites are ‘poultry’ according to Article 2 of Directive 91/494/EEC as well as ‘farmed game’ according to (7)  The Czech Republic, Isracl and Switzerland are not free Article 2 of Council Directive 91/495/EEC of 27 November 1990 concerning public health and animal health problems affecting the production and placing on the market of rabbit meat and farmed game meat (°). conditions and veterinary certification for import of farmed ratite meat into the Community accordingly. 1996, concerning protective measures in relation to Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever (%), as last amended by Decision 97/183/EC ('!), authorises Member States to import ratite meat provided that extra guaranteees are given in relation to Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever; (2)  Ratite meat can be imported from third countries if at least the animal health requirements of Chapter III of Directive 91/494/EEC and, according to Annex I Chapter 11 of Directive 92/118/EEC, the public health requirements of Chapter III of Directive 91/495/EEC are fulfilled. (3) By the effect of this Decision Article 17 of Directive 91/495/EEC will become obsolete for fresh meat of farmed ratites. (4 Neither Commission Decision 94/984/EC of 20 December 1994 laying down animal health conditions and veterinary certificates for the importation of fresh () O L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 35. () O] L 300, 23.11.1999, p. 17. () O] L 62, 15.3.1993, p. 49. () O] L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 31. () O] L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 41. from Newcastle disease, however, they apply measures to control Newcastle disease which are at least equiva- lent to those laid down in Council Directive 92/ 66/EEC ('?), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden. (8) It is appropriate on this basis to allow the importation of farmed ratite meat from the mentioned countries. 9) Some third countries are not free from Newcastle disease and do not apply measures, which are at least equivalent to those laid down in Directive 92/66/EEC. These coun- tries, however, should have the possibility to export fresh ratite meat to the European Union provided that their measures to control the said disease offer animal ) OJ L 378, 31.12.1994, p. 11. ) O] L 124, 25.5.2000, p. 64. ) O] L 88, 3.4.1997, p. 45. ) O] L 51, 24.2.2000, p. 37. 0 1 2 9] ) O] L 76, 18.3.1997, p. 32. 0] L 260, 5.9.1992, p. 1. L 302, 26.11.1996, p. 27. health guarantees at least equivalent to those offered by Chapter II of Directive 91/494/EEC.