No L 181/40 Official Journal of the European Communities 1. 8. 95 COMMISSION DECISION of 18 July 1995 amending Decision 94/474/EEC concerning certain protection measures relating to bovine spongiform encephalopathy and repealing Decisions 89/469/EEC and 90/200/EEC (Text with EEA relevance) (95/287/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market ('), as last amended by Directive 92/118/EEC (3, and, in particular, Article 10 (4) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11 December 1989 concerning veterinary checks in intra- Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal market (}), as last amended by Directive 92/118/EEC, and, in particular, Article 9 thereof, Whereas cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) have been reported in the United Kingdom ; Whereas in order to protect animal and public health in the Community, the Commission has adopted several Decisions, in particular Decision 94/474/EC of 27 July 1994 concerning certain protection measures relating to bovine spongiform encephalopathy and repealing Deci- sions 89/469/EEC and 90/200/EEC (%), as amended by Decision 94/794/EC (); Whereas as a result of measures taken in the United Kingdom the BSE epidemic is now declining; Whereas Decision 94/474/EC makes provisions for removal of certain tissues from beef obtained in the United Kingdom from cattle born before 1 January 1992 ; () OJ No L 224, 18. 8. 1990, p. 29. () OJ No L 62, 15. 3. 1993, p. 49. () OJ No L 395, 30. 12. 1989, p. 13. () OJ No L 194, 29. 7. 1994, p. 96. () OJ No L 325, 17. 12. 1994, p. 60. Whereas new information continues to become available and the situation must be continually reviewed ; Whereas the Commission has carried out a detailed examination of the situation and all relevant scientific information with the Scientific Veterinary Committee ; Whereas it is simpler to control the age at slaughter than the date of birth either from the animals’ dentition or from relevant information ; Whereas the Scientific Veterinary Committee has recom- mended a revised protocol which will improve the controls on beef from the United Kingdom, by specifying the tissues to be removed from beef derived from cattle aged over two and a half years at slaughter coming from holdings in which a case of BSE has been confirmed during the previous six years; Whereas it is essential that the actual age and BSE status of the herd of origin of all animals is checked officially ; Whereas, in the opinion of the Scientific Veterinary Committee, the feed ban is becoming increasingly effec- tive ; whereas however, it is not fully effective, and addi- tional controls are necessary to improve its effectiveness ; Whereas the United Kingdom has provided assurances to the Commission that beef sent from their territory to third countries, in particular in Eastern Europe, is in conformity with the provisions of this Decision, whereas the United Kingdom shall provide the Commission with details of the certification provided for beef being sent to these countries; whereas the Commission shall take appropriate measures to prevent the re-introduction into the Community if a certificate is found not to be in conformity with this Decision ; Whereas, therefore, it is necessary to amend Decision 94/474/EC ; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,