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Basic directive
The
general animal health conditions
governing intra-Union trade in and
imports into the European Union of embryos of
domestic animals of the bovine species are laid
down in
Council
Directive 89/556/EEC
of 25
September 1989.
This Directive harmonises:
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the animal health conditions which embryos must satisfy for the purposes of intra-Union trade or imports to the European Union from third countries;
-
the conditions for approval of embryo collection and production teams from the collection to the storage stage.
Only distribution and placement of embryos in the country of destination are not covered by the Directive, being a matter for the Member States. However, they should be compatible with the rules laid down in the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union.
Implementation
Implementation arrangements for imports of bovine embryos are laid down by Commission decisions adopted by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (
SCFCAH)
:
Intra-Union trade
Imports to the European Union
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Third countries : Decision 2006/168/EC lays down a list of third countries from which Member States authorise imports of embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species.
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Approved embryo collection and production teams in third countries: in accordance with Article 8 (2) of Directive 89/556/EEC as amended by Directive 2008/73/EC, the competent authority of the authorised third country shall communicate to the Commission the list of embryo collection or production teams that the competent authority of the third country has approved as being in compliance with Article 8 (1) of that Directive. In order make this information available to the Member States and to the public, the European Commission has established this website.
The following third countries have communicated lists of approved bovine embryo collection and production teams to the European Commission:
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Specimen animal health certificates : Decision 2006/168/EC lays down the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of bovine embryos from third countries.
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