Artificial Breeding of Sheep and Goats (EEC) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994

Made: 14th October 1994

Coming into operation: 16th November 1994

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 Breeding of Sheep and Goats (EEC) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 and shall come into operation on 16th November 1994.

Interpretation

2

• (1) In these Regulations:—

• “the Directive” means Council Directive 92/65/EEC[^f00002] laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A(1) to Directive 90/425/EEC;

• “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

3

• (1) A person shall not collect, process, store or transport, for the purpose of export to a Member State, any ovine or caprine semen, ovum or embryo unless it complies with Article 11 of the Directive.

• (2) A person shall not use ovine or caprine semen in the insemination of any sheep or goat for the purpose of producing ova or embryos for export to a Member State unless—

• (a) that sheep or goat (as the case may be) complies with Chapter IV of Annex D to the Directive, and

• (b) that semen complies with Article 11(2) of the Directive.

• (3) A person shall not collect any ovum or embryo from any sheep or goat for the purpose of export to a Member State unless he is a member of a team licensed under regulation 5.

Licensing of semen collection centre

4

• (1) The Department, upon being satisfied that a semen collection centre complies with the provisions of the Directive insofar as it relates to ovine and caprine semen (and in particular Chapters I, IIB and C and III of Annex D thereof), shall licence it as a semen collection centre in which ovine and caprine semen intended for export to a Member State may be collected and processed for the purposes of those provisions of the Directive.

• (2) It shall be the duty of the veterinary surgeon supervising each semen collection centre to issue animal health certificates for the purposes of the fourth indent of Article 11(2) of the Directive.

Licensing of ovum and embryo collection team

5

The Department, upon being satisfied that an ovum and embryo collection team is capable of complying with the provisions of the Directive in relation to the collection of ova and embryos of sheep and goats, may licence that team for those purposes.

Licences

6

Any licence granted under regulation 4 or 5—

• (a) shall be in writing; and

• (b) may be modified, suspended or revoked by notice in writing served by the Department on the holder thereof.

Disapplication

7

• (1) The Artificial Insemination (Sheep) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1981[^f00004] shall not apply to the collection, storage, distribution or sale of ovine semen for the purpose of export to a Member State.

• (2) The Transplantation of Ova (Animals) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1982[^f00005] shall not apply to the transplantation, processing, storage, distribution or sale of ovine and caprine ova for the purposes of export to a Member State.

Signed

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture on 14th October 1994.

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 92/65/EEC (“the Directive”) in relation to the collection, processing, storage and transport of ovine and caprine semen, ova and embryos for export to Member States of the European Communities. In particular they require that such semen, ova and embryos must comply with Article 11 of the Directive and provide for:—

• (a) the licensing of semen collection centres and ovum and embryo collection teams which comply with the provisions of the Directive and which are used for the purpose of such trade (regulation 4(1) and 5); and

• (b) the issue of animal health certificates to accompany each consignment exported to Member States (regulation 4(2)).

The Artificial Insemination (Sheep) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1981 shall no longer apply in relation to export of ovine semen to Member States. The Transplantation of Ova (Animals) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1982 shall no longer apply in relation to export of ovine and caprine ova to Member States (regulation 7).

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 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or both.

Footnotes

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

[^f00002]: O.J. No. L268, 14.9.92, p. 54

[^f00003]: 1966 c. 36

[^f00004]: S.R. 1981 No. 4

[^f00005]: S.R. 1982 No. 395