Council Directive 96/93/EC of 17 December 1996 on the certification of animals and animal products
Council Directive 96/93/ECof 17 December 1996on the certification of animals and animal productsTHE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof,Having regard to the proposal from the CommissionOJ No C 373, 29. 12. 1994, p. 16.,Having regard to the opinion of the European ParliamentOJ No C 56, 6. 3. 1995, p. 165.,Whereas Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11 December 1989 concerning veterinary checks in intra-Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal marketOJ No L 395, 30. 12. 1989, p. 13. Directive as last amended by Council Directive 92/118/EEC (OJ No L 62, 15. 3. 1993, p. 49). and Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and animal products with a view to the completion of the internal marketOJ No L 224, 18. 8. 1990, p. 29. Directive as last amended by Council Directive 92/118/EEC., put the responsibility on the Member State of production or dispatch to ensure that veterinary checks, and where applicable, certification, are carried out in an appropriate manner;Whereas to ensure the smooth functioning of the internal market in live animals and animal products, Member States should be able to rely completely on the integrity of certification at the places of production and dispatch;Whereas this objective cannot be achieved by Member States individually; whereas, therefore, common rules should be adopted on the obligations of competent authorities and certifying officers and with respect to the certification of animal and animals products in accordance with Community legislation;Whereas it is appropriate to ensure that the rules and principles applied by third-country certifying officers provide guarantees which are at least equivalent to those laid down in this Directive;Whereas effective measures must be taken to prevent misleading or fraudulent certification,HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: