(1)

Commission Decision 94/85/EC of 16 February 1994 drawing up a list of third countries from which the Member States authorise imports of fresh poultrymeat (3) includes Uruguay on that list.

(2)

Commission Decision 2000/609/EC 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 poultrymeat (4) provides that Member States are to authorise the importation of fresh meat of farmed ratites only from third countries or parts thereof listed in Annex I to Decision 2000/609/EC, subject to certain conditions. At present, Uruguay is not included in that Decision.

(3)

Following a Commission mission in October 2004, subsequent follow-up and guarantees provided by Uruguay, the animal and public health situation is now satisfactory so as to allow that country to be included on the list of approved third countries set out in Annex I to Decision 2000/609/EC.

(4)

In view of Uruguay’s animal health status as regards Newcastle disease, it is appropriate that imports of fresh meat of farmed ratites from Uruguay are accompanied by the model health attestation ‘A’ as laid down in Part 2 of Annex II to Decision 2000/609/EC.

(5)

Decision 2000/609/EC, as amended by Decision 2004/118/EC, provides erroneously that fresh meat of farmed ratites from Australia must be accompanied by the model health attestation ‘A’ as laid down in Part 2 of Annex II to Decision 2000/609/EC, instead of the model health attestation ‘B’ laid down in that Annex. That mistake should therefore be corrected.

(6)

Decision 2000/609/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7)

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