THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 90/426/EEC of 26 June 1990 on animal health conditions governing the movement and imports from third countries of equidae(1), and in particular Article 12(2), Article 13(2), Articles 14, 15, 16 and Article 19(i) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Decision 92/260/EEC(2) lays down the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for temporary admission of registered horses.

(2) Commission Decision 93/197/EEC(3), lays down the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of registered equidae and equidae for breeding and production.

(3) Annex I to Commission Decision 97/10/EC of 12 December 1996 amending Council Decision 79/542/EEC and Commission Decisions 92/160/EEC, 92/260/EEC and 93/197/EEC in relation to the temporary admission and imports into the Community of registered horses from South Africa(4) provides for additional guarantees which apply to the regionalisation of South Africa for imports of registered horses into the European Community.

(4) Those additional guarantees prohibit the use of vaccination against African horse sickness within the African horse sickness free area. Consequently, the vaccination status of registered horses which have been resident in the African horse sickness free area for more than 24 months can no longer be certified under the current import conditions.

(5) In addition it is necessary to make the transportation of registered horses into the free area subject to authorisation in cases where such horses have not been vaccinated or where for veterinary reasons such vaccination was not carried out in compliance with all instructions of the manufacturer.

(6) It is necessary to adapt the additional guarantees for the regionalisation of South Africa for imports into the Community of registered horses in the light of the animal health situation in that country, and to reflect these modifications in the animal health conditions and veterinary certification applicable to such importation.

(7) Decisions 92/260/EEC, 93/197/EEC and 97/10/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: