97/132/EC: Council Decision of 17 December 1996 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and New Zealand on sanitary measures applicable to trade in live animals and animal products

1997D0132 — EN — 23.12.1999 — 001.001

This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents

Amended by:

COUNCIL DECISION

of 17 December 1996

on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and New Zealand on sanitary measures applicable to trade in live animals and animal products

(97/132/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas the Agreement between the European Community and New Zealand on sanitary measures applicable to trade in live animals and animal products provides an adequate means for putting into practice the provisions of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures as regards animal health measures;

Whereas the Agreement will contribute towards facilitating the trade between the European Community and New Zealand in live animals and animal products through the progressive recognition of the equivalence of sanitary measures, the acceptance of applying regionalization and the improvement of communication and cooperation;

Whereas the Agreement should be approved on behalf of the Community,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Agreement between the European Community and New Zealand on sanitary measures applicable to trade in live animals and animal products is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.

The text of the Agreement and the Annexes thereto are attached to this Decision.

Article 2

The President of the Council is hereby authorized to designate the person empowered to sign the Agreement in order to bind the Community.

Article 3

The Commission, assisted by representatives of Member States, shall represent the Community in the Joint Management Committee referred to in Article 16(1) of the Agreement.

The Community position with regard to the matters to be dealt with by that Committee shall be established within the appropriate Council bodies, in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty.

Amendments to the Annexes to the Agreement which are the result of recommendations by the Joint Management Committee shall be adopted according to the procedure provided for in Article 29 of Directive 72/462/EEC (1).

Article 4

The measures necessary for the implementation of the Agreement, including as regards fresh meat and meat-based products guarantees equivalent to those laid down by Directive 72/462/EEC, shall be established pursuant to the procedure laid down in Article 30 of that Directive.

Article 5

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

This Decision shall take effect on the date of its publication.

(1) OJ L 302, 31.12.1972, p. 28. Directive as last amended by Directive 97/79/EC (OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 31).