No L 96/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 91 COMMISSION DECISION of 25 February 1991 concerning animal health conditions and veterinary certificates for the impdrt of domestic animals of the bovine and porcine species from Austria (91/190/EEC) - THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, ‘ Having regard to Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972 on health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine animals and swine and fresh meat from third countries (1), as last amended by Directive 91/69/EEC (2}, and in particular Article 8 thereof, : Whereas the geographical proximity of Austria to the Community has implications for trade in live animals; Whereas following Community veterinary missions it .appears that the animal health situation in Austria is controlled by well-structured and well-organized veterinary services which are equivalent to those in the Community and which can offer satisfactory guarantees concerning diseases which might be transmitted through the import of domestic animals of the bovine or porcine species; Whereas similar animal health conditions to those in the Community exist in Austria and whereas the responsible veterinary authorities of Austria have confirmed that Austria has during the last 12 months been free from rinderpest, foot-and-mouth disease, contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia, blue tongue, African swine fever, porcine enteroviral encephalomyelitis (Teschen disease), swine vesicular disease and vesicular exanthema, has during the last six months been free from contagious vesicular stomatitis and that no vaccinations have been carried out against any of those diseases other than foot-and-mouth disease during the periods indicated; (1) O No L 302, 31. 12. 1972, p. 28. (3) O No L 46, 19. 2. 1991, p. 37. Whereas the responsible veterinary authorities of Austria have undertaken to notify the Commission and the Member States, by telex or telegram, within 24 hours, of the confirmation of the occurrence of any of the abovementioned diseases or of swine fever or of the adoption of vaccination against any of them or, within an appropriate period, of any proposed changes in the Austrian import rules concerning bovine animals or swine or the semen or embryos thereof; Whereas the responsible veterinary authorities of Austria have agreed to operate a swine fever control system which is no less strict than that of the Community; Whereas bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis have been eradicated from Austria; whereas vaccination against bovine brucellosis is not permitted and the measures taken by the responsible authorities of Austria to prevent a recrudescence of these diseases are sufficient to equate the status of Austrian herds, other than those under official restriction, with that of herds in the Community having the status of Officially Tuberculosis Free or Officially Brucellosis Free; ' Whereas the responsible veterinary authorities of Austria have, since 1982, operated a compulsory national programme for the eradication of enzootic bovine leukosis; whereas the incidence of the disease has been reduced to a level which would qualify Austria as a whole to be classified as ‘enzootic bovine leukosis free’ if it were a Member State; whereas the programme is capable of achieving its objective of total eradication of the disease in the near future and the responsible veterinary authorities of Austria have undertaken to inform the Commission and the Member States without delay of any material change in the situation in respect of the disease; Whereas the responsible veterinary authorities of Austria have declared that they have no evidence of the existence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Austria and have undertaken to notify the Commission within 24 hours of the confirmation of a case of such disease; Whereas the responsible veterinary authorities of Austria have undertaken to supervise officially the issue of certificates arising from this Decision and to ensure that all