30.9.2006 Official Journal of the European Union L 27171 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 20 September 2006 laying down the animal health conditions and certification requirements for imports of fish for ornamental purpose (notified under document number C(2006) 4149) (Text with EEA relevance) (2006/656/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 91/67/EEC of 28 January 1991 concerning the animal health conditions governing the placing on the market of aquaculture animals and products (%), and in particular Article 19(3), Article 20(3) and Article 21(1) thereof, Whereas: (1) A list of third countries or parts thereof from which Member States are authorised to import live fish, their eggs and gametes for farming in the Community and the animal health conditions and certification requirements for such consignments are established by Commission Decision 2003/858/EC of 21 November 2003 laying down the animal health conditions and certification requirements for imports of live fish, their eggs and gametes intended for farming, and live fish of aqua- culture origin and products thereof intended for human consumption (3). (2)  Decision 2003/858/EC does not apply to tropical orna- mental fish kept permanently in aquaria, and conse- quently the animal health conditions and certification requirements for tropical ornamental fish are not harmonised at Community level. (3)  There is a significant trade in ornamental fish with third countries and concerns have been raised with regard to (') OJ L 46, 19.2.1991, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 806/2003 (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1). () OJ L 324, 11.12.2003, p. 37. Decision as last amended by Decision 2005[742/EC (O] L 279, 22.10.2005, p. 71). the application of Decision 2003/858/EC with respect to ornamental fish. (4 Certain third countries were included in Annex I to Decision 2003/858/EC for the purpose of export of cold-water ornamentals only. These countries should therefore appear in Annex I to this Decision. (5)  Currently, 14 Member States have drawn up national animal health certificates with different animal health conditions for ornamental fish. For the sake of simplifi- cation, for the Community Border inspection posts, for European ornamental fish industry, as well as for third country trading partners, those animal health conditions and model certificates should be harmonised. (6)  The specific animal health conditions and model certi- ficates for ornamental fish, should be drawn up in line with the conditions and certificates laid down in Decision 2003/858EC, taking into account the specific use of these animals in the Community, and animal health situation of the third country concerned, in order to prevent the introduction of disease that could cause significant impact to the farmed and wild fish stock in the Community if introduced and allowed to spread. (7 Council Directive 96/93/EC of 17 December 1996 on the certification of animals and animal products (%) lays down standards of certification. The rules and principles applied by third-country certifying officers should provide guarantees which are equivalent to those laid down in that Directive. (8)  This Decision should apply without prejudice to Community or national provision on the conservation of species. () O] L 13, 16.1.1997, p. 28.