S.L. 437.100 Art. 2Interpretation. S.L. 437.98 S.L. 437.48 Cap. 437. S.L. 437.98 S.L. 437.98 S.L. 437.98 S.L. 437.98 S.L. 437.41

(1) Unless stated otherwise in these rules, the definitions in the Act, those contained under the Animal Health Requirements Governing Trade and Imports into the Community of Animals, Semen, Ova and Embryos not Subject to Animal Health Requirements laid down in Specific Community Acts Rules and those contained under the Animal Health Problems Affecting Intra-

Community Trade in Bovine Animals and Swine Regulations shall continue to apply.

(2) For the purpose of these rules and unless the context otherwise requires the following definitions shall apply: "the Act" means the Veterinary Services Act; "animals of the bovine species" means bovine animals whose embryos are subject to intra-Community trade and imports from third countries, after being removed from a female donor for the purpose of being transmitted, transplanted or injected to the female recipient;

*These rules have been repealed by Legal Notice 77 of 2025. †see rule 1(4) as originally promulgated. "approved diagnostic laboratory" means a laboratory situated in a Member State or third country approved by the competent veterinary authority to carry out the diagnostic tests laid down in these rules; "authorisation" means any authorisation granted under these rules and in relation to authorised providers and services means a permit, licence, warrant, appointment, concession or any decision concerning access to a service activity or the exercise thereof;

"authorised provider" shall have the same meaning as that provided under the Animal Health Requirements Governing Trade and Imports into the Community of Animals, Semen, Ova and Embryos not Subject to Animal Health Requirements laid down in Specific Community Acts Rules;

"the Commission" means the European Commission; "the Community" means the European Community as established by the Treaty of the European Union; "the competent authority" means the Department responsible for veterinary services in Malta as established by the Act; "consignment of embryos" means a quantity of embryos removed in one operation from a single female donor and covered by a single certificate;

"country of collection" means the Member State or third country in which embryos are produced, collected, processed and, where necessary, stored, and from which they are sent to a Member State; "the Director" means the Director responsible for veterinary services or any veterinarian officer nominated by him; "embryo" means the initial stage of development of a domestic animal of the bovine species while it is capable of being transferred to a recipient dam or a female parent of such species; "embryo collection team" means an officially approved group of technicians or structure supervised by a team veterinarian competent to perform the collection, processing and storage of embryos according to the conditions set out in Schedule A; "embryo transfer (ET)" means the transfer of embryos from the female donor to the female recipient, being a practiced method of multiplying the genetic of animals of the bovine species for the purpose of these rules. It is the process by which an embryo is collected (flushed) from one female donor and transferred to another female recipient to complete the gestation period; "final consumer" shall have the same meaning as that provided for under the Animal Health Requirements Governing Trade and Imports into the Community of Animals, Semen, Ova and Embryos not Subject to Animal Health Requirements laid down in Specific Community Acts Rules; "gestation period" means the time in which a fetus develops, beginning with fertilization and ending at birth; "health certificate" means a certificate properly issued by the competent authority in accordance with Schedule C, as a means of guaranteeing and monitoring compliance with animal health requirements as regards animals and products of animal origin subject to trade for the purpose of these rules; "Member State" means a State which is a member to the European Union; "Member State of destination" means such Member State to which embryos are transported from the embryo collection centre or establishment of origin situated in the Member State of collection or in a third country; "official veterinarian" shall have the same meaning as that provided for under the Animal Health Requirements Governing

Trade and Imports into the Community of Animals, Semen, Ova and Embryos not Subject to Animal Health Requirements laid down in Specific Community Acts Rules; "the product" means any product of animal origin subject to trade and trading purposes; "Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health" or "the Committee" means a Committee made up of Member States’ representatives named committee members, who assist and consult the Commission by delivering an Opinion regarding safety measures with respect to animal health issues to be then formally adopted by the Commission in accordance with the appropriate procedure. Such committee procedure covers the entire food supply chain, ranging from animal health issues on the farm to the product which arrives to the final consumer, therefore significantly enhancing its ability to target risks to health wherever they arise in the production of food; "team veterinarian" means the veterinarian responsible for the supervision of an embryo collection team in accordance with the conditions laid down in Schedule A; "third country" means a country which is not a member of the European Community; "trade" means for the purpose of these rules, trade between Member States or between Member States and a third country in animals and their products, a business or occupation to make profit or gain, particularly in wholesale or retail and includes dealings in a particular business activity; "the Treaty" means the treaty as established by the European Community; "veterinary checks" means checks or import controls carried out on embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species, either upon importation from the Community or from a third country subject to their respective procedures, as provided under the Animal Health Requirements Governing Trade and Imports into the Community of Animals, Semen, Ova and Embryos not Subject to Animal Health Requirements laid down in Specific Community Acts Rules for veterinary checks carried out on imports into the Community, and under the Principles Governing the Organisation of Veterinary

Checks on Products Entering the Territory of Malta from Third Countries Regulations, for veterinary checks carried out via border inspection posts on imports from third countries.