Commission Decision
of 30 March 2001
laying down the conditions for the control and eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in application of Article 13 of Directive 85/511/EEC
(notified under document number C(2001) 1041)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2001/257/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market(1), as last amended by Directive 92/118/EEC(2), and in particular Article 10 thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 85/511/EEC of 18 November 1985 introducing Community measures for the control of foot-and-mouth disease(3), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 13(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) The control measures for foot-and-mouth disease laid down in Directive 85/511/EEC are aimed at eradicating the disease as quickly as possible by stamping out of infected, contaminated or in-contact herds, applying strict movement controls on animals of susceptible species and products derived from such animals and surveillance in the affected area to substantiate prior to lifting the control measures the absence of virus circulation.
(2) However, in Article 13(3) of Directive 85/511/EEC provisions are made for emergency vaccination where the disease expands.
(3) The principles provided for in this Article require to balance the decision on resorting to vaccination against basic Community interests which must not be endangered.
(4) Following the reports of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Ireland, the Commission adopted Decisions 2001/172/EC(4), 2001/208/EC(5), 2001/223/EC(6) and 2001/234/EC(7) concerning certain protection measures with regard to foot-and-mouth disease in the respective Member State.
(5) In addition to the measures within the framework of Directive 85/511/EEC, the United Kingdom apply the pre-emptive killing of susceptible animals in holdings situated in close proximity to infected or suspect holdings, taking into account the epidemiological situation, the high density of susceptible animals in certain parts of the territory and the poor expression of clinical signs in certain susceptible species.
(6) Killing of animals for disease reasons must be carried out in accordance with Council Directive 93/119/EEC of 22 December 1993 on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing(8).
(7) Large scale killing of animals of infected or contaminated holdings may quickly exhaust the capacities for safe destruction of carcasses and thereby unavoidably delay the pre-emptive killing and this may lead to the amplification and spread of the virus.
(8) The competent authorities of the United Kingdom have presented to the Commission a programme to employ protective vaccination in bovine animals under certain clearly defined conditions as an additional instrument to control and eradicate foot-and-mouth disease in connection with the pre-emptive killing of animals of other susceptible species in defined densely populated livestock areas.
(9) In its report of 10 March 1999 the Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare made recommendations on the strategy for emergency vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease, which must be taken into account(9).
(10) Recourse to any kind of vaccination will inevitably jeopardise the foot-and-mouth disease status in terms of international trade not only for the Member State or part of its territory where vaccination is carried out.
(11) The Commission prior to taking a Decision on emergency vaccination must ensure that the measures to be taken include at least those provided for in Article 13(3) first to sixth indent of Directive 85/511/EEC.
(12) It is the purpose of this Decision to define the conditions under which the United Kingdom may apply emergency vaccination and to outline the follow-up measures applicable to vaccinated animals and products derived from such animals.
(13) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
For the purpose of this Decision the following definitions shall apply:
1. "Pre-emptive killing" shall mean the killing of susceptible animals on holdings within a certain radius around holdings placed under the restrictions laid down in Articles 4 or 5 of Directive 85/511/EEC.
It is aimed at the urgent reduction of numbers of animals of susceptible species in an infected area.
2. "Protective vaccination" shall mean emergency vaccination of bovine animals in identified holdings situated in a defined area, the "vaccination zone", which is carried out exclusively in conjunction with pre-emptive killing of certain categories of sheep and other animals of susceptible species as defined in paragraph 1.
It is aimed at an urgent reduction of the amount of virus circulating and the risk of virus spreading beyond the perimeters of the area, and is subjected to the condition that such vaccinated animals are not subject to pre-emptive killing.
Article 2
1. Without prejudice to Directive 85/511/EEC, and in particular Articles 4, 5 and 9 thereof, and without prejudice to Decision 2001/172/EC, the United Kingdom may decide on resorting to protective vaccination under the conditions set out in Annex I.
2. Before commencing the measures referred to in paragraph 1, the United Kingdom shall ensure that the Member States and the Commission are officially and fully informed on the details concerning the geographical and administrative definition of the vaccination zone, the number of holdings affected, the time when vaccination will be started and accomplished, and of the circumstances motivating the decision to implement the measures.
Subsequently the United Kingdom shall ensure that the information submitted in accordance with the first subparagraph is completed and updated without undue delay, in particular with regard to the details concerning the number of holdings and animals affected, and the modifications of the restrictions applied in the areas concerned.
Article 3
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 30 March 2001.