
Article 1 
The appropriate Minister may authorise holdings to extend to six months the maximum period laid down in the first subparagraph of Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 for applying eartags to calves of suckler cows that are not used for milk production, provided that the conditions set out in Articles 2 to 5 of this Decision are met.
Article 2 

1. The appropriate Minister may grant authorisations as provided for in Article 1 where they are satisfied that the following conditions are fulfilled:
(a) the holding is a free-range farm where suckler cows are reared under extensive conditions;
(b) the area where the animals are kept features significant natural handicaps that result in reduced physical contact with humans;
(c) the animals are not accustomed to regular contact with humans and show highly aggressive behaviour;
(d) when the eartags are applied, each calf can be clearly assigned to its mother.
2. The appropriate Minister may lay down additional criteria, in particular to restrict authorisations, as provided for in Article 1, to particular geographical regions or specific breeds.
3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Article 3 
On holdings granted authorisations as provided for in Article 1, the eartags shall be applied at the latest when the calf:

— reaches the age of six months,
— is separated from its mother,
— leaves the holding.
Article 4 

1. The competent authority shall record in the computerised database for bovine animals referred in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 authorisations as provided for in Article 1 of this Decision in respect of the holdings to which they are granted.
2. Keepers shall, when reporting the birth of each animal in accordance with Article 7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000, inform the competent authority of any animal to which, pursuant to this Decision, eartags have not yet been applied.
3. The competent authority shall record animals to which eartags have not been applied at the time their birth and report as untagged animals in the computerised database for bovine animals.
Article 5 
The competent authority shall, each year, carry out at least one inspection visit on each holding granted an authorisation pursuant to Article 1. It shall withdraw the authorisation if the conditions referred to in Article 2 are no longer fulfilled.
Article 6 
Decision 98/589/EC is repealed.
Article 7 
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Done at Brussels, 18 January 2006.
For the Commission
Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission