COMMISSION DECISION of 24 May 1995 on marking and use of pigmeat in application of Article 9 of Council Directive 80/217/EEC (95/186/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 80/217/EEC of 22 January 1980 introducing Community measures for the control of classical swine fever (1), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 9 (6) (g) thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks in intra-Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal market (2), as last amended by Directive 92/118/EEC (3), and in particular Article 10 thereof,
Whereas in March 1995 outbreaks of classical swine fever in Lower Saxony was declared by the German veterinary authorities;
Whereas in accordance with Article 9 (1) of Directive 80/217/EEC a surveillance zone was immediately established around outbreak sites;
Whereas all contact premises and pig holdings in the surveillance zones have been serologically and clinically tested without finding any evidence that the virus did spread to this zone;
Whereas the provisions for the use of a health mark on fresh meat are given in Council Directive 64/433/EEC of 26 June 1964 on health conditions for the production and marketing of fresh meat (4), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden;
Whereas Germany has submitted a request for the adoption of a specific solution concerning marking and use of pigmeat coming from pigs kept on holdings situated in established surveillance zones and slaughtered subject to a specific authorization issued by the competent authority;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. Without prejudice for the provisions of Directive 80/217/EEC in particular Article 9 (6), Germany is authorized to apply the mark described in Article 3 (1) (A) (e) of Directive 64/433/EEC to pigmeat obtained from pigs originating from holdings situated in surveillance zones in Lower Saxony established in accordance with the provisions of Article 9 (1) of Directive 80/217/EEC on the condition that the pigs in question:
(a) originate from a holding to which, following the epidemiological inquiry, no contact has been established with an infected holding;
(b) have been subject to protection measures established in accordance with the provisions of Article 9 (6) (f) and (g) of Council Directive 80/217/EEC for at least 30 days, the 30-day period shall have arisen from the application of the said measures to an area which has been exposed continually to protection measures due to the establishment of more than one surveillance zone;
(c) have been included in:
(i) a programme for the detection of classical swine fever virus antigen and found negative; and
(ii) a programme for monitoring body temperature and clinical examination. The programmes as given in (i) and (ii) shall be carried out as given in Annex I.
(d) have been slaughtered within 12 hours of arrival at the slaughterhouse.
2. Germany shall ensure that a certificate as given in Annex II is issued in respect of meat referred to in paragraph 1.
Article 2
Pigmeat which complies with the conditions of Article 1 (1) and enters into intra-Community trade must be accompanied by the certificate referred to in Article 1 (2).
Article 3
Germany shall ensure that abattoirs designated to receive the pigs referred to in Article 1 (1) do not at the same day accept pigs for slaughter other than the pigs in question.
Article 4
Germany shall provide Member States and the Commission with:
(a) the name and location of slaughterhouses designated to receive pigs for slaughter referred to in Article 1 (1).
(b) a monthly report which contains information on:
- the area(s) to which the provisions of Article 1 apply,
- number of pigs slaughtered at the designated slaughterhouses,
- identification system and movement controls applied to slaughter pigs, as required in accordance with Article 9 (6) (f) (i) of Council Directive 80/217/EEC,
- instructions issued concerning the application of the programme for monitoring body temperature referred to in Annex I,
- results from examinations carried out for the detection of classical swine fever virus antigen.
Article 5
This Decision is applicable until 1 October 1995.
Article 6
This Decision is addressed to Member States.
Done at Brussels, 24 May 1995.