Pure–Bred Breeding Bovines Regulations, 2003

VETERINARY SERVICES ACT

(ACT NO. XXIII OF 2001)

Pure–Bred Breeding Bovines Regulations, 2003

IN exercise of the powers conferred by article 34(a) of the Veterinary Services Act,

2001, the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment has made the following

(1) The title of these regulations is the Pure-Bred Breeding Bovines

(2) The scope of these regulations is to implement the provisions found under

the European Union Council Directive 77/504/EEC on pure-bred breeding animals of

For the purposes of these regulations the following definitions shall apply -

(a) “Herd-book” means any book, register, file or data medium –

(i) which is maintained by a breeders' organisation or

association officially recognised by the territory of Malta or a

Member State in which the breeders organisation or

association was constituted, or by a official department of the

territory of Malta or of the Member State concerned;

(ii) in which pure-bred breeding animals of a given breed of

the bovine species are entered or registered with mention of

their ancestors.

(b) “Pure-bred breeding animal of the bovine species including

buffalo” means any bovine animal the parents and grandparents of

which are entered or registered in a herd-book of the same breed, and

which is itself either entered or registered and eligible for entry in

such a herd-book.

B

(c) “Trading Partner” in the meaning of article 2 of the Veterinary

Services Act shall mean –

(i)

Member States of the European Community;

(ii)

Third countries to the European Community.

Prohibitions, restrictions or impediments which do not apply on zootechnical

grounds.

In the territory of Malta, the following shall not be prohibited, restricted or

impeded on zootechnical grounds –

(a) intra-community trade in pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine

species,

(b) intra-community trade in the semen and ova and embryos of pure-

bred breeding animals of the bovine species,

(c) the establishment of herd-books, provided that they comply with

the requirements laid down pursuant to regulation 7,

(d) the recognition of organisations or associations which maintain

herd-books, in accordance with regulation 7, and

(e) subject to regulation 4, trade with Member States in bulls used for

artificial insemination.

The Veterinary Services Act, article 34(a).

Provisions for the approval of pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine

species for breeding may be adopted in accordance with the requirements of the

European Community and according to the procedure laid down in article 34(a) of

the Veterinary Services Act.

Until the entry into force of such provisions, approval of pure-bred breeding animals

of the bovine species for breeding and approval of bulls to be used for artificial

insemination as well as the use of semen and ova and embryos shall remain subject

to previous national regulations, on the understanding that that these regulations may

not be more restrictive than that applicable to pure-bred breeding animals of the

bovine species, semen and embryos in the Member State of destination.

B

Entry into herd books of pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine species from

Member States.

Breeders' organisations or associations officially recognised by the territory

of Malta may not oppose the entry in their herd-books of pure-bred breeding animals

of the bovine species from Member States provided that they satisfy the requirements

laid down in accordance with regulation 7.

Pedigree certificate.

Pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine species and the semen or ova and

embryos from such animals shall be accompanied, in trade with Member States, by a

pedigree certificate which complies with a specimen drawn up in accordance with

the procedure laid down in regulation 7, particularly with regard to zootechnical

performance

The Veterinary Services Act, article 34(a).

The following shall be determined in accordance with the requirements of

the European Community and the procedure laid down in article 34(a) of the

Veterinary Services Act –

(a) performance monitoring methods and methods for assessing

cattle's genetic value,

(b) the criteria governing the recognition of breeders' organisations

and associations,

(c) the criteria governing the establishment of herd-books,

(d) the criteria governing entry in herd-books,

(e) the particulars to be shown on the pedigree certificate.

Conditions applicable to imports of pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine

species from non-Member States of the European Union.

Until the implementation of European Community rules on the subject, the

conditions applicable to imports of pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine species

from non-EU Member State countries must not be more favourable than those

governing intra-Community trade.

The Veterinary Services of the territory of Malta shall not authorise the import of

pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine species from non-EU Member State

countries unless they are accompanied by a pedigree certificate certifying that they

B

are entered or registered in a herd-book in the exporting non-EU Member State

country. Proof must be provided that the animals are either entered or registered and

eligible for entry in a herd-book in the European Community.