28.2.2006 Official Journal of the European Union L 57/19 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 4 January 2006 establishing the animal health and veterinary certification requirements for imports into the Community of bovine embryos and repealing Decision 2005/217/EC (notified under document number C(2005) 5796) (Text with EEA relevance) (2006/168/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 89/556/EEC of 25 September 1989 on animal health conditions governing intra- Community trade in and importation from third countries of embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species (1), and in particular Article 7(1) and Article 9(1)(b) thereof, Whereas: (1)  Directive 89/556/EEC sets out the animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in and importation from third countries of fresh and frozen embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species. () That Directive provides, inter alia, that bovine embryos are not to be sent from one Member State to another unless they have been conceived by artificial insemi- nation or in vitro fertilisation using semen from a donor sire standing at a semen collection centre approved by the competent authority for the collection, processing and storage of semen or semen imported in accordance with Council Directive 88/407/EEC of 14 June 1988 laying down the animal health requirements applicable to intra-Community trade in and imports of semen of domestic animals of the bovine species (2). (3)  Commission Decision 92[452[/EEC of 30 July 1992 establishing lists of embryo collection teams and embryo production teams approved in third countries for export of bovine embryos to the Community (3), (*) OJ L 302, 19.10.1989, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EQ) No 806/2003 (O] L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1). (®» O] L 194, 22.7.1988, p. 10. Directive as last amended by Commission Decision 2004/101/EC (O] L 30, 4.2.2004, p. 15). () OJ L 250, 29.8.1992, p. 40. Decision as last amended by Decision 2005/774[EC (O] L 291, 5.11.2005, p. 46). provides that Member States are to import such embryos from third countries only if they have been collected, processed, including in vitro fertilisation, and stored by embryo collection teams included in the lists in that Decision. (4  Following trade problems relating to new, stricter requirements for bovine semen used for fertilisation introduced by Commission Decision 92[471[EEC (%), the Commission adopted Decision 2005/217/EC of 9 March 2005 establishing the animal health conditions and the veterinary certification requirements for imports into the Community of bovine embryos (%). (5)  Decision 2005/217/EC allows for a transitional period expiring on 31 December 2006 for imports of bovine embryos collected or produced before 1 January 2006 and conceived using semen not fully complying with Directive 88/407/EEC on condition that such embryos are implanted into female bovine animals present in the Member State of destination and are excluded from intra-Community trade. (6)  The International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS) has assessed as negligible the risk of transmission of certain contagious diseases via embryos to recipients or offspring, provided that the embryos are handled properly between their collection and their transfer. That position is also that of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as far as in vivo derived embryos are concerned. Nevertheless, in the interests of animal health, appropriate safeguards should be taken upstream with regard to semen used for fertilisation, in particular with respect to in vitro generated embryos. ( OJ L 270, 15.9.1992, p. 27. Decision as last amended by Decision 2004/786[EC (O] L 346, 23.11.2004, p. 32). () O] L 69, 16.3.2005, p. 41.