Animal health requirements: bovine semen, trade and imports (amend. Directive 88/407/EEC)

PURPOSE : to lay down the animal health requirements applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of semen of domestic animals of the bovine species. LEGISLATIVE ACT : Council Directive 2003/43/EC amending Directive 88/407/EEC laying down the animal health requirements applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of semen of domestic animals of the bovine species. CONTENT : the Council adopted a Directive amending Directive 88/407/EEC laying down the animal health requirements applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of semen of domestic animals of the bovine species. The German delegation voted against and issued a statement. The Austrian delegation abstained. The purpose of this Directive is: - to allow the storage of semen at other premises than the Artificial Insemination (AI) centre where semen was collected. - to amend, in the light of the new scientific data available and the new provisions laid down in the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), the animal health conditions applicable to entry of bulls into AI centres, in particular concerning infectious bovine rhinothracheitis (IBR/IPV) and bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD/MD). - to simplify, at the Community level, the procedure for the agreement and listing of AI centres in third countries. These lists are frequently modified on the basis of the information sent by the competent authorities of third countries (address, name, new establishment, etc.). ENTRY INTO FORCE : 11 June 2003. IMPLEMENTATION : 1 July 2004.�