(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 494/98 of 27 February 1998 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97 as regards the application of minimum administrative sanctions in the framework of the system for the identification and registration of bovine animals (2) was adopted on the basis of Article 10(e) of Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97 of 21 April 1997 establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products (3). That Regulation was repealed and replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000.

(2)

Article 1(2) of Regulation (EC) No 494/98 provides that if the keeper of an animal cannot prove its identification within 2 working days, the animal is to be destroyed without delay under the supervision of the veterinary authorities and without compensation from the competent authority.

(3)

Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption (4) lays down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin.

(4)

That Regulation provides that the official veterinarian is to verify that animals are not slaughtered unless the slaughterhouse operator has been provided with and checked relevant food chain information.

(5)

In addition, Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 provides that the official veterinarian may allow animals to undergo slaughter in the slaughterhouse even if the relevant food chain information is not available. In that case, however, all relevant food chain information must be supplied before the carcase is approved for human consumption. Pending a final judgement, such carcases and related offal must be stored separately from other meat.

(6)

Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 also provides that when relevant food chain information is not available within 24 hours of an animal’s arrival at the slaughterhouse, all meat from the animal is to be declared unfit for human consumption. If the animal has not yet been slaughtered, it is to be killed separately from other animals.

(7)

Accordingly, the risks posed by unidentified animals for human health are reduced by the provisions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 854/2004. The destruction of animals within the framework of Regulation (EC) No 494/98 has therefore now primarily a deterrent effect, promoting identification of animals for purposes other than food safety.

(8)

Animals of unknown origin may affect the animal health status of the areas where they have been held.

(9)

Experience gained in the application of Regulation (EC) No 494/98 has shown that the strict time limit of 2 days is not sufficient to properly evaluate the identity of unidentified animals. Member States should have the necessary administrative discretion to evaluate the situation on the basis of a risk analysis and to apply proportionate sanctions.

(10)

Regulation (EC) No 494/98 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(11)

The Committee on Agricultural Funds has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its Chair,

(1)

The Union has been financing Member States actions in the field of fisheries control and enforcement since 1990 pursuant to the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy set out in particular by Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 (2).

(2)

Regulation (EC) No 861/2006 provides, amongst other actions, for Union financial measures for expenditure on fisheries control, inspection and surveillance for the period 2007 to 2013. Commission Regulation (EC) No 391/2007 (3) establishes detailed rules for the implementation of such measures.

(3)

In view of the principle of sound financial management, Member States must have clear indications on the rules to be followed in order to benefit from Union financial assistance when incurring expenditure in the area of fisheries control and enforcement.

(4)

Rules applicable to the Union financial contribution to national control programmes should be simplified and clarified.

(5)

In the case of certain large investments, Member States may require more time than is currently allowed to enter into legal and budgetary commitment, and in the interest of reducing future problems with reimbursements, an extended deadline should be applicable as from 22 June 2010, the date on which the first Commission financing decision of 2010 was adopted.

(6)

Where vessels and aircraft are not used 100 % for fishery control, reimbursement should be made at a rate which reflects percentage use of the item.

(7)

A contract between the relevant administration and the supplier should be included in a request for pre-financing only if the nature of the project makes such contract necessary.

(8)

Regulation (EC) No 391/2007 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(9)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture,

(1)

Article 4 is replaced by the following:

(2)

in Article 6, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

(3)

in Article 10, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

(1)

Council Regulation (EU) No 53/2010 of 14 January 2010 fixing for 2010 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in EU waters and, for EU vessels, in waters where catch limitations are required (2), lays down quotas for 2010.

(2)

According to the information received by the Commission, catches of the stock referred to in the Annex to this Regulation by vessels flying the flag of or registered in the Member State referred to therein have exhausted the quota allocated for 2010.

(3)

It is therefore necessary to prohibit fishing activities for that stock,

(1)

Council Regulation (EU) No 53/2010 of 14 January 2010 fixing for 2010 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in EU waters and, for EU vessels, in waters where catch limitations are required (2), lays down quotas for 2010.

(2)

According to the information received by the Commission, catches of the stock referred to in the Annex to this Regulation by vessels flying the flag of or registered in the Member State referred to therein have exhausted the quota allocated for 2010.

(3)

It is therefore necessary to prohibit fishing activities for that stock,

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1484/95 (3) lays down detailed rules for implementing the system of additional import duties and fixes representative prices for poultrymeat and egg products and for egg albumin.

(2)

Regular monitoring of the data used to determine representative prices for poultrymeat and egg products and for egg albumin shows that the representative import prices for certain products should be amended to take account of variations in price according to origin. The representative prices should therefore be published.

(3)

In view of the situation on the market, this amendment should be applied as soon as possible.

(4)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,

(1)

On 27 October 2009, the Council adopted Common Position 2009/787/CFSP concerning the temporary reception by Member States of the European Union of certain Palestinians (1), which provided for an extension of the validity of their national permits for entry into, and stay in, the territory of the Member States referred to in Common Position 2002/400/CFSP of 21 May 2002 concerning the temporary reception by Member States of the European Union of certain Palestinians (2) for a further period of 12 months.

(2)

On the basis of an evaluation of the application of Common Position 2002/400/CFSP, the Council considers it appropriate that the validity of those permits be extended for a further period of 12 months,

(1)

Directive 91/68/EEC defines the animal health conditions governing trade in the Union in ovine and caprine animals. It lays down the conditions whereby Member States or regions thereof may be recognised as being officially brucellosis-free.

(2)

Commission Decision 93/52/EEC of 21 December 1992 recording the compliance by certain Member States or regions with the requirements relating to brucellosis (B. melitensis) and according them the status of a Member State or region officially free of the disease (3) lists, in the Annexes thereto, the Member States and regions thereof which are recognised as officially free of brucellosis (B. melitensis) in accordance with Directive 91/68/EEC.

(3)

Estonia and Latvia have submitted to the Commission documentation demonstrating compliance with the conditions laid down in Directive 91/68/EEC to be recognised as officially free of brucellosis (B. melitensis) for the entire territory of the respective Member State.

(4)

Following evaluation of the documentation submitted by Estonia and Latvia, both Member States should be recognised as being officially free of that disease. Annex I to Decision 93/52/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5)

Spain has submitted to the Commission documentation demonstrating for the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands compliance with the conditions laid down in Directive 91/68/EEC in order for that region in Spain to be recognised as officially free of brucellosis (B. melitensis).

(6)

Following evaluation of the documentation submitted by Spain, the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands should be recognised as being officially free of that disease. Annex II to Decision 93/52/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7)

Directive 64/432/EEC applies to trade within the Union in bovine animals and swine. It lays down the conditions whereby a Member State may be declared officially tuberculosis-free and officially brucellosis-free as regards bovine herds.

(8)

Annexes I and II to Commission Decision 2003/467/EC of 23 June 2003 establishing the official tuberculosis, brucellosis and enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free status of certain Member States and regions of Member States as regards bovine herds (4) list the Member States which are declared respectively officially tuberculosis-free and officially brucellosis-free.

(9)

Estonia has submitted to the Commission documentation demonstrating compliance with the conditions for the officially tuberculosis-free and officially brucellosis-free status laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC for the entire territory of that Member State.

(10)

Following evaluation of the documentation submitted by Estonia, that Member State should be declared officially tuberculosis-free and officially brucellosis-free. Annexes I and II to Decision 2003/467/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(11)

Decisions 93/52/EEC and 2003/467/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(12)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,