L 181/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 16.7.1999 COMMISSION DECISION of 15 July 1999 establishing the officially brucellosis free status of bovine herds of certain Member States or regions of Member States and repealing Decision 97/175/EC (notified under document number C(1999) 2092) (Text with EEA relevance) (1999/466/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 64/432/EEC of 26 June 1964 on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine ('), as last amended by Directive 98/99/EC (3, and in particular Annex AII(7) thereof, (1) ~ Whereas Member States or regions of Member States may be declared officially brucellosis-free if they meet certain conditions set up in Directive 64/432EEC; (2)  Whereas Commission Decision 97/175/EC (}) of 18 December 1996 laying down the methods of control for maintaining the officially brucellosis-free status of bovine herds in certain Member States and regions of Member States, specifies the Member States and regions within Member States that fulfil these criteria; (3)  Whereas this Decision will not be adapted to the legal situation on 1 July 1999 since Directive 64/432[EEC was amended by Directive 98/46/EC (¥); whereas more- over certain provisions for the recognition as officially brucellosis-free Member State or region have been modi- fied by Directive 98/46/EC; whereas it is necessary to repeal Decision 97/175[EC; (4)  Whereas in accordance with the provisions of Directive 64/432[/EEC Member States or regions may be declared officially brucellosis-free if they meet the conditions of Annex AlIl(7) and they retain their status as long as the conditions of Annex AII(8) are fulfilled; (5)  Whereas Member States and regions officially free of bovine brucellosis are to report the occurrence of all cases of brucellosis to the Commission, which may propose a decision to suspend or revoke the status in accordance with the provisions of Annex AII(9) of that Directive; (6)  Whereas in accordance with Annex AII(7)(b) an identi- fication system allowing the identification of herds of origin and transit for each bovine animal in accordance () O] 121, 29.7.1964, p. 1977/64. () O] L 358, 31.12.1998, p. 107. () O] L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 16. (% O] L 198, 15.7.1998, p. 22. with Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97 (%) is a pre- requisite for granting the officially free status for bovine brucellosis; (7)  Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veter- inary Committee, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The Member States and regions thereof referred to respectively in Annexes I and II are declared officially free of bovine brucel- losis. Article 2 The Decision shall be reviewed by 31 December 1999. Article 3 Decision 97/175/EC is hereby repealed. Atrticle 4 This Decision shall apply from 1 July 1999. Article 5 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 15 July 1999. For the Commission Franz FISCHLER Member of the Commission () O] L 117, 7.5.1997, p. 1.