26. 4. 97 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 110/77 COMMISSION DECISION of 11 April 1997 amending Decisions 95/160/EC, 95/161/EC and 95/168/EC concerning the methods to be used for microbiological testing (Text with EEA relevance) (97/278/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 90/539/EEC of 15 October 1990 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in, and imports from third coun- tries of, poultry and hatching eggs (), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 9 (a)(2) and (b)(2) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 92/118/EEC of 17 December 1992 laying down animal health and public health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of products not subject to the said re- quirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A (1) to Directive 89/662/EEC and, as regards pathogens, to Directive 90/425/EEC (?), as last amended by Directive 96/90/EC(®), and in particular Annex II, Chapter 2, first indent, thereof, Whereas Commission Decision 95/160/EC of 21 April 1995 establishing additional guarantees regarding sal- monella for consignments to Finland and Sweden of breeding poultry and day-old chicks for introduction into flocks of breeding poultry or flocks of productive poultry (*) provides in particular for a microbiological test for the examination of the samples; Whereas Commission Decision 95/161/EC of 21 April 1995 establishing additional guarantees regarding sal- monella for consignments to Finland and Sweden of laying hens (%) provides in particular for a microbiological test for the examination of the samples; Whereas Commission Decision 95/168/EC of 8 May 1995 establishing, as regards salmonella, additional guarantees for consignments to Finland and Sweden of certain types of eggs intended for human consumption () provides in No L 303, 31. 10. 1990, p. 6. No L 62, 15. 3. 1993, p. 49. No L 13, 16. 1. 1997, p. 24. No L 105, 9. 5. 1995, p. 40. No L 105, 9. 5. 1995, p. 44. No L 109, 16. 5. 1995, p. 44. particular for a microbiological test for the examination of the samples; Whereas the Scientific Veterinary Committee in its report of 3 June 1996 has given an opinion concerning micro- biological testing methods offering equivalent guarantees; Whereas it is appropriate to amend Decisions 95/160/EC, 95/161/EC and 95/168/EC in order to introduce the possibility to use a microbiological testing method of- fering equivalent guarantees as the one which is provided for; Whereas the methods described in this Decision take into account the opinion of the Scientific Veterinary Committee; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article ] In Annex I to Decision 95/160/EC, point 3 is replaced by the following: ‘3. Microbiological test for examination of the samples — Microbiological testing of the samples for sal- monella should be carried out to the standard of the International Organization for Standardization ISO 6579:1993 or revised editions, or by the method described by the Nordic Committee on Food Analysis (NMKL method No 71, fourth edition, 1991) or revised editions. — Where the results of analysis are contested between Member States the standard of the Inter- national Organization for Standardization ISO 6579:1993 or revised editions should be regarded as the reference method. Article 2 In Annex I to Decision 95/161/EC, point 4 is replaced by the following: