Legislation that one of the EU member states called on to ban imports of milk from B&H is contained in the Regulation (EC) 854/2004 within the Organization of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption.
Ljubomir Kalaba, Director of the Veterinary Office of B&H, confirmed that they were informed that one of the EU member states called upon this regulation.
Article 12 of this regulation is crucial, and it is referring to list of establishments from which imports of specified products of animal origin are permitted.
“The Commission shall provide the contact points that Member States have designated for this purpose with regular notifications concerning new or updated lists that it has received from the competent authorities of third countries concerned in accordance with paragraph 3. (b) If no Member State objects to the new or updated list within 20 working days of the Commission’s notification, imports shall be authorised from establishments appearing on the list 10 working days after the day on which the Commission makes it available to the public. (c) The Commission shall, whenever at least one Member State makes written comments, or whenever it considers that the modification of a list is necessary in the light of relevant information such as Community inspection reports or a notification under the rapid alert system, inform all Member States and include the point on agenda of the next meeting of the relevant section of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health for decision, where appropriate, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 19(2). The Commission shall arrange for up-to-date versions of all lists to be available to the public,” according to Section 4, of the EC Regulation 854/2004.
Since the list of BH dairies that were allowed to export in the EU was officially announced on the 13th of August, the Member States could make an objection within the next ten days that followed. It is very likely that a country made an objection just before the expiration period was ended. However, it is not clear why the competent authorities of the EU have not informed the EU immediately, but the information about the ban on export of milk came on the 26th of August, when one of diaries tried to export milk in the EU.
(Source: klix.ba)
