
Article 1 
The Netherlands may extend to 12 months the maximum period laid down by Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000, for the application of eartags to calves kept in certain nature reserves provided all the conditions set out in this Decision are met.
This extension shall not affect the quality of information provided by the computerised bovine database.
Article 2 

1. The extension provided in Article 1 shall be allowed subject to all the conditions set out in paragraph 2 to 5.
2. The animals shall be born in a nature reserve authorised by the competent authority in accordance with Article 3.
3. The birth of each calf shall be reported to the competent authority within a period to be fixed by the Netherlands in accordance with Article 7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000.
4. The eartags shall be applied before the calves are 12 months old.
5. In any case no animals shall leave the nature reserve without prior application of the eartags.
6. For calves tagged later than 6 months of age the identity of the mother shall be verified on the basis of a DNA-test when the eartags are applied.
Article 3 

1. The competent authority may authorise nature reserves for the purpose of this Decision if they fulfil the following conditions:
(a) the nature reserve is a holding where animals are primarily kept for the purpose of nature protection and landscape conservation;
(b) the nature reserve covers a territory of at least 100 ha;
(c) the effective livestock density is below 0,5 animals over 12 months of age per hectare, on an annual average basis;
(d) the animals are reared at liberty in a totally extensive system, with the calves staying with their mother.
2. The status of a holding as an authorised nature reserve with an extended period for tagging shall be clearly stated in the records of the computerised bovine database.
3. The competent authority shall communicate to the Commission the list of nature reserves which have been authorised according to paragraph 1.
Article 4 
This Decision is addressed to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Done at Brussels, 22 October 2004.
For the Commission
David BYRNE
Member of the Commission