DECISION No 1/2010 OF THE JOINT VETERINARY COMMITTEE SET UP BY THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND THE SWISS CONFEDERATION ON TRADE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
of 1 December 2010
regarding the amendment of Appendices 1, 2, 5, 6, 10 and 11 to Annex 11 to the Agreement
(2010/797/EU)
THE JOINT VETERINARY COMMITTEE,
Having regard to the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Agriculture Agreement’), and in particular Article 19(3) of Annex 11 thereto,
Whereas:
(1)
The Agriculture Agreement entered into force on 1 June 2002.
(2)
Under Article 19(1) of Annex 11 to the Agriculture Agreement the Joint Veterinary Committee is responsible for considering any matter arising in connection with the said Annex and its implementation and for carrying out the tasks provided for therein. Article 19(3) of that Annex authorises the Joint Veterinary Committee to amend the Appendices thereto, in particular with a view to their adaptation and updating.
(3)
The Appendices to Annex 11 to the Agriculture Agreement were amended for the first time by Decision No 2/2003 of the Joint Veterinary Committee set up by the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products of 25 November 2003 amending Appendices 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 11 to Annex 11 to the Agreement (1).
(4)
The Appendices to Annex 11 to the Agriculture Agreement were last amended by Decision No 1/2008 of the Joint Veterinary Committee set up by the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products of 23 December 2008 regarding the amendment of Appendices 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 to Annex 11 to the Agreement (2).
(5)
The Swiss Confederation has requested an extension to the previously granted derogation in respect of the Trichinella examination of carcasses and meat of domestic swine kept for fattening and slaughter in low-capacity slaughter establishments. Since such carcasses and meat of domestic swine, as well as meat preparations, meat products and derived processed products thereof, may not be traded with the Member States of the European Union, pursuant to the provisions of Article 9(a) of the Swiss Ordinance on foodstuffs of animal origin issued by the Département Fédéral de l’Intérieur (RS 817.022.108), this request can be complied with. The derogation in question should, therefore, be made applicable until 31 December 2014.
(6)
Since the Appendices to Annex 11 to the Agriculture Agreement were last amended, the legislative provisions of Appendices 1, 2, 5, 6 and 10 to Annex 11 to that Agreement have also been amended. The contact points referred to in Appendix 11 to Annex 11 to the Agriculture Agreement should therefore be updated.
(7)
It is necessary to adapt the provisions of Appendices 1, 2, 5, 6, 10 and 11 to Annex 11 to the Agriculture Agreement accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Appendices 1, 2, 5, 6, 10 and 11 to Annex 11 to the Agriculture Agreement shall be amended in accordance with Annexes I to VI to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision, drawn up in duplicate, shall be signed by the joint chairmen or other persons empowered to act on behalf of the parties.
Article 3
This Decision shall enter into force on the date when both parties will have signed it.
Article 4
This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Bern, 1 December 2010.