European Ship Suppliers import many   goods from third countries to cater for   the  international crew onboard of   vessels. As such European Ship   suppliers are affected by COUNCIL   DIRECTIVE 97/78/EC of 18 December   1997 laying down the principles   governing the organisation of veterinary   checks on products entering the   Community from third countries. For   OCEAN, it is important to come to a   more  simplified and flexible  legislation   by putting  the Directive’s contents to the test, notably where it concerns  the working environment of our industry (articles 12 and 13). Items/articles of the directive        which should be rewritten in our opinion include the Storage system, Control & monitoring system, Storage regime EU approved & for transit approved products, Supply to vessels outside EU territory with a veterinary certificate, Missing veterinary certificates, 100% entrepot exit control.

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• Download the legal text: COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries

Veterinary controls to food supplies for cruise vessels

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 4 April 2011implementing Council Directive 97/78/EC as regards transhipment at the border inspection post of introduction of consignments of products intended for import into the Union or for third countries
General guidance on EU import and transit rules for live animals and animal products from third countries (UPDATED 08.04.2011)

GENERAL GUIDANCE FOR CONSIGNMENTS OF LIVE ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS FROM THIRD COUNTRIES IN TRANSIT OR TRANSHIPMENT (Submitted by Spanish OCEAN member AESMAR - May 2011)

List of approved warehouses and authorised ship suppliers
For the latested, most updated list see DG SANCo's website:
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/bips/warehouses_en.htm

Introduction

Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 amended the Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 lay down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries; please find below the main points regarding the approved warehouses and authorised ship suppliers.

Council Directive 97/78/EC Article 12 pt 4.b

Warehouses in free zones and free warehouses or customs warehouses must be approved by the competent authority for the storage of the products. In order to be approved, they must meet the following requirements:

•  They must consist of a closed space with entry and exit points subject to permanent control by the management of the warehouse.

If a warehouse is located in a free zone, the entire zone must be closed and placed under permanent customs control,

• They must meet the conditions of approval laid down in Community legislation as regards warehouses storing the product(s) concerned, or, should there be no such Community legislation, in national legislation,
• They must have arrangements for the daily logging of all consignments entering or leaving the warehouse, with details of the nature and quantity of the products per consignment and the name and address of the recipient. Such records must be kept for at least three years,
• They must possess storage and/or refrigeration rooms allowing for separate storage of products which do not comply with veterinary legislation. The competent authority may, however, in the case of existing warehouses, authorise separate storage of such products on the same premises when products not complying with Community standards are stored in lockable enclosures,
• They must have available premises reserved for the staff carrying out the veterinary checks. If the checks referred to in paragraph 2 show that the person responsible for the load has made a false declaration pursuant to paragraph 1, he shall be obliged to dispose of the goods in accordance with Article 17.

Council Directive 97/78/EC Article 12 pt 5:

 The competent authorities shall take all necessary steps:

• To ensure that the conditions for approval of warehouses are maintained,
• To prevent products which do not comply with Community veterinary requirements from being stored in the same rooms or enclosures as those which do so comply.  
•  To ensure an effective check on entries and exits from the warehouse and, during the hours of access, to ensure supervision by the veterinary authority. They must in particular ensure that products not meeting Community requirements cannot leave the rooms or units where they are stored without the agreement of the competent authority,
• To carry out all checks necessary to avoid any alteration, substitution of products stored in the warehouse or any change of packaging, market preparation or processing.

 More information can be found in the Council Directive 97/78/EC.

COMMISSION DECISION of 8 September 2000

 Laying down the methods of veterinary checks for products from third countries destined for introduction into free zones, free warehouses, customs warehouses or operators supplying cross border means of sea transport {(notified under document number C (2000) 2532) (2000/571/EC)}

 Art.3:

1. Warehouses approved in accordance with Article 12(4)(b) of Directive 97/78/EC must in addition to the requirements of that Article at least:

• be under the control of the competent authority,
• have fax and telephone facilities available for the use of the official veterinarian.

2. The register of entries and despatches referred to in Article 12(4)(b), third indent, of Directive 97/78/EC to be kept in an approved warehouse must ensure traceability of consignments and reconciliation of the quantities of material entering and leaving the warehouse. In addition to the information specified in 12(4)(b) of Directive 97/78/EC the register must include the following details:

•  the country of origin and subsequent border inspection post of arrival, for consignments entering,
• the unique reference number of the corresponding certificate referred to in either Article 5(1) or Article 13(2)(a) of Directive 97/78/EC, for each consignment, EN Official Journal of the L 240/16 European Communities 23.9.2000
• the reference number and address of the destination warehouse referred to in Article 13(1)(c) of Directive 97/78/EC

(if applicable),

•  the destination vessel, or the third country of destination and border inspection post of exit (if applicable).

More information can be found in COMMISSION DECISION of 8 September 2000

COMMISSION DECISION of 2 February 2005

As regards animal health conditions, certification and transitional provisions concerning the introduction and storage period for consignments of certain products of animal origin in free zones, free warehouses and premises of operators supplying cross border means of sea transport in the Community (notified under document number C(2005) 191) (2005/92/EC)

(4) Accordingly, from 1 January 2005, consignments of products of animal origin falling within the scope of the relevant Community acts are to comply with the rules and are to be accompanied by the appropriate animal health certificate laid down in the relevant

Community acts, when presented for introduction into free zones, free warehouses or premises of operators supplying cross border means of sea transport, thereby ensuring that animal health requirements are met.

(5) Therefore, those consignments introduced into the Community for storage in free zones, free warehouses or premises of operators supplying cross-border means of sea transport before 1 January 2005 and which do not comply with the relevant Community acts should be dealt with in a harmonised and transparent way in order to avoid unnecessary problems for the businesses involved, whilst ensuring that there is a final fixed end date for such product to be retained in the Community.

(6) For that reason, a transitional period of 12 months should be laid down for businesses to dispose of those products introduced into free zones, free warehouses or premises of operators supplying cross-border means of sea transport before 1 January 2005.

More information can be found in COMMISSION DECISION of 2 February 2005