13.6.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 152/1 II (Non-legislative acts) REGULATIONS COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) No 497/2012 of 7 June 2012 amending Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 as regards the requirements for imports of animals susceptible to bluetongue (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Council Directive 2004/68/EC of 26 April 2004 laying down animal health rules for the importation which do not pose the risk of undesired local circulation of the vaccine virus to unvaccinated cattle, sheep and goats. It is now widely accepted that vaccination with inactivated vaccines is the preferred tool for the control of bluetongue and for the prevention of clinical disease in such animals in the Union. into and transit through the Community of certain live (4 To ensure better control of the spread of t-he bluetongue ungulate animals, amending Directives 90/426/EEC and virus and to red.uce the burden on the jangulturjal sector 92/65/EEC and repealing Directive 72/462/EEC (), and in Posed by.that- dls§ase, the rules on vaccination laid down particular Article 6(1), Article 7(e), and Article 13(1) thereof, n COUHCII Directive 2009/ 75/EC of 20 November 2000 laying down specific provisions for the control and eradi- cation of bluetongue (}) were recently amended by Directive 2012/5/EU of the European Parliament and of Whereas: the Council (*) to take account of the recent tech- nological developments in vaccine production. (1)  Commission Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 of 12 March 2010 laying down lists of third countries, territories or parts thereof- authorised .for t.he introduction into the )  Accordingly, Directive 2000/75/EC now provides for the European Union of certain animals and fresh meat and use of inactivated vaccines in all f the EU . o : parts of the EU. the veterinary certification requirements (2) lays down the list of third countries, territories or parts thereof from which live ungulate animals, including those susceptible to bluetongue, may be introduced into the Union and the veterinary certification requirements for such intro- (6)  As a result of the evolving epidemiological situation as duction. 2)  In particular, with regard to animals susceptible to blue- tongue, certificates BOV-X, BOV-Y, OVI-X, OVI-Y and RUM set out in Part 2 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 include inter alia the requirement that the animals come from a territory which, at the date of issue of the certificate accompanying them had been free from bluetongue for a period of twelve months. (3)  As a result of new technical developments, "inactivated vaccines" against bluetongue have become available () OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 321. OJ L 73, 20.3.2010, p. 1. ( ( ( ’) Y ’) regards bluetongue, and to align with the World Organi- sation for Animal Health (OIE) standards, Commission Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007 of 26 October 2007 on implementing rules for Council Directive 2000/75/EC as regards the control, monitoring, surveillance and restrictions on movements of certain animals of susceptible species in relation to bluetongue (°) was amended recently. The EU standards require the absence of virus circulation for a minimum period of two years in order to consider a territory free from blue- tongue. The period of twelve months referred to in the relevant certificates set out in Part 2 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 206/2010 should therefore be amended accordingly. 327, 22.12.2000, p. 74. oJ L 0] L 81, 21.3.2012, p. 1. oJ L 283, 27.10.2007, p. 37.