Artificial Insemination of Pigs (EEC) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993

Made: 1st June 1993

Coming into operation: 5th July 1993

The Department of Agriculture, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Article 5(1) and (2) of The Artificial Reproduction of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1975[^f00001] and of every other power enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:—

Citation and commencement

1

These Regulations may be cited as the Artificial Insemination of Pigs (EEC) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 and shall come into operation on 5th July 1993.

Interpretation

2

• (1) In these Regulations:—

• “the Directive” means Council Directive 90/429/EEC[^f00002] laying down the animal health requirements applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of semen of domestic animals of the porcine species;

• “Member State” means any member state of the European Communities other than the United Kingdom; and

• “veterinary surgeon” means a veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner registered or recognised under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966[^f00003].

• (2) Other expressions used in these Regulations have the same meaning as in the Directive.

Intra-Community trade in porcine semen

3

• (1) A person shall not collect, process, store or transport, for the purpose of export to a Member State, any semen unless it complies with Article 3 of the Directive.

• (2) The Department, upon being satisfied that a semen collection centre complies with the provisions of the Directive (and in particular Annex A thereof) shall—

• (a) licence it as a semen collection centre in which semen intended for export to a Member State may be collected and processed for the purposes of the Directive; and

• (b) issue a registration number in respect of it.

• (3) The Department upon being satisfied that accommodation used for the isolation of boars admitted to a semen collection centre licensed under paragraph (2) complies with the provisions of Annex B of the Directive (and in particular paragraph 4 thereof) shall licence it as isolation accommodation for the purposes of that Annex.

• (4) The Department shall appoint a veterinary surgeon to supervise each premises licensed under paragraph (2) or (3) and that surgeon shall report to the Department any breach of any provision of the Directive in relation to those premises.

• (5) A licence granted under paragraph (2) or (3)—

• (a) shall be in writing; and

• (b) may be suspended by a notice in writing served by the Department on the person having charge of the premises to which the licence relates informing him of any breach of any provision of the Directive reported to it, whether under paragraph (4) or otherwise.

• (6) It shall be the duty of a veterinary surgeon appointed by the Department for the purposes of paragraph (4) to issue animal health certificates for the purposes of the Directive.

Disapplication

4

The Artificial Insemination of Pigs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1978[^f00004] shall not apply to the collection, processing, storage and transport of porcine semen for the purpose of export to a Member State.

Signed

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture on 1st June 1993.

D. A. J. Hirrell — Assistant Secretary

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations implement the provisions of Council Directive 90/429/EEC (“the Directive”) in relation to the collection, processing, storage and transport of porcine semen for export to Member States of the European Communities. In particular they require that such semen must comply with Article 3 of the Directive and provide for—

• (a) the licensing of semen collection centres (and the isolation accommodation for boars admitted thereto) which comply with the provisions of the Directive and which are used for the purposes of such trade (regulation 3(2) and (3));

• (b) the appointment of a veterinary surgeon to supervise such licensed premises (regulation 3(4)); and

• (c) the issue of animal health certificates to accompany each consignment of porcine semen exported to Member States (regulation 3(6)).

The Artificial Insemination of Pigs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1978 shall no longer apply in relation to exports of porcine semen to Member States (regulation 4).

Any person who contravenes any provision of these Regulations or, who, in giving any information for the purpose of obtaining a licence under these Regulations, makes a statement which is false in a material particular is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £2,000.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: S.I. 1975/1834 (N.I. 17)

[^f00002]: O.J. No. L224, 18.8.90, p. 62

[^f00003]: 1966 c. 36

[^f00004]: S.R. 1978/321