L 162/52 Official Journal of the European Union 30.4.2004 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 876/2004 of 29 April 2004 amending Annex VIII to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards trade in ovine and caprine animals for breeding (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, (4)  The new provisions should be introduced in two stages, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the Euro- pean Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies ('), and in particular the first paragraph of Article 23 thereof, Whereas: (1) Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 lays down conditions for intra-community trade in ovine and caprine animals for breeding. (2)  Commission Regulations (EC) No 260/2003 () and 1915/2003 (°) amend Regulation 999/2001 to introduce eradication measures for holdings infected with scrapie, and amend the trade conditions for breeding sheep to allow unrestricted trade in sheep of the ARR/ARR prion protein genotype. (3)  Monitoring requirements for holdings wishing to send breeding sheep and goats for intra-community trade should be amended to reflect the more vigourous approach being adopted to scrapie eradication. The restrictions on animals entering these holdings should no longer extend to sheep of the ARR/ARR prion protein genotype. to allow heightened surveillance in the short term, while preventing disruption of trade. (5)  Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 should therefore be amended accordingly. (6)  The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Annex VIII to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall apply from 1 July 2004. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 29 April 2004. () OJ L 147, 31.5.2001, p. 1. as last amended by Commission Regu- lation (EC) No 2245/2003 (O] L 333, 20.12.2003, p. 28). () OJ L 37, 13.2.2003, p. 7. () OJ L 283, 31.10.2003, p. 29. For the Commission David BYRNE Member of the Commission