draft commission decision concerning approval of salmonella control programmes in breeding flocks of gallus gallus in certain third countries in accordance with regulation ec no 2160 2003 and amending decision 2006 696 ec as regards certain public health requirements at import of poultry and hatching eggs sanco 582 2007 rev5 23 pages this proposal approves the programmes submitted by canada israel tunisia and the united states for control of salmonella spp. in breeding flocks of gallus gallus and sets model veterinary certificates. it prohibits the import of live poultry of g. gallus intended for breeding purposes and import of hatching eggs from australia brazil chile croatia and new zealand. background commission decision 2006 696 ec implements certain risk management measures set out by regulation 853 2004 of the european parliament and of the council of 29 april 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin and regulation 854 2004 of the european parliament and of the council of 29 april 2004 laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption notified in g sps n eec 94 and on its addenda 2 and 3 7june2004 and lays down a list of third countries from which poultry hatching eggs day-old chicks meat of poultry ratites and wild game-birds eggs and egg products and specified pathogen-free eggs may be imported into and transit through the european communities and the applicable veterinary certification conditions. regulation 2160 2003 of the european parliament and of the council of 17 november 2003 on the control of salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents notified in g sps n eec 144 20november2001 and its addendum 2 01june2004 establish that since 1 january 2007 flocks of gallus gallus cannot be used for breeding purposes and their eggs cannot be used as hatching eggs in the european communities if they are infected with s. enteritidis and or s. typhimurium and imports of breeding poultry day-old chicks intended for breeding and hatching eggs are only authorized if the flocks of origin where tested and free of s. enteritidis and s. typhimurium. admission to or retention on the lists of third countries from which ec member states are authorized to import is subject to the submission to the commission by the third country concerned of a programme equivalent to national control programmes for salmonella and its approval by the commission. as a consequence of the approval of the salmonella control programmes submitted by canada israel tunisia and the united states these countries remain on the list while other third countries that have not yet submitted any control programme will no longer be authorized. changes in the certificates concern the certification that the approved control programme is applied on the flock of origin. the changes anticipate the future approval of control programmes for poultry of gallus gallus intended for egg or meat production