No C 85/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 6. 4. 89 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) instituting a certificate for dogs and cats on visits of 
less than one year in the Member States and introducing Community measures to set up pilot 
projects for the control and eradication of rabies 
COM(88) 836 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 5 January 1989) 
(89/C 85/11) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas the certificate which accompanies dogs and cats 
on short stay visits from one Member State to another 
has not heretofore been harmonized and whereas this 
situation increases the risk of the spread of rabies in the 
animal population; 
Whereas it is necessary, as a preliminary step to 
completion of the internal market, to harmonize this 
certificate whose validity shall be applicable for just over 
three years, thus contributing to the free movement of 
dogs and cats, reducing the risk of the spread of rabies 
not only amongst dogs and cats but to other agricultural 
species as well and giving a wider choice of destination 
to their accompanying owners; 
Whereas it would be unreasonable to require certain 
Member States to withdraw their quarantine provisions 
in respect of rabies at this stage in the light of their 
freedom from this disease and its widespread dissemi­
nation in certain other Member States; 
Whereas it will be necessary to review the measures 
applicable in this sector so that they apply to not only 
short stay visits but also to transit and trade in dogs and 
cats, particularly in the light of the measures necessary 
for the completion of the internal market; Whereas the continued presence of rabies in certain 
areas of the Community presents obstacles to the 
freedom of movement of companion animals and other 
agricultural species, owing to quarantine restrictions in 
some Member States; whereas it would be premature to 
require the dismantlement of quarantine restrictions 
owing to the risk of spread of rabies; 
Whereas rabies is a serious source of loss and disruption 
to the agricultural Community; 
Whereas the continued presence of rabies has an impact 
on the environment in so far as it inhibits a closer asso­
ciation of man and animals and also constitutes a costly 
danger for human and animal health; 
Wheres it is therefore necessary to stimulate the creation 
of large-scale pilot projects for the control and eradi­
cation of rabies and to that end to provide for 
Community financial aid; 
Whereas it is necessary for facilities to be provided for 
the planning and the examination of the results of such 
pilot projects, particularly in cross-border areas and 
whereas it is also necessary to establish a Community 
procedure between the Commission and Member States 
for the implementation of such plans for pilot projects; 
whereas it is necessary that a small grant be made to 
national hunters organizations for preservation and 
conservation work in those Member states where hunters 
have given, free of charge, their time for bait dispersion; 
Whereas the Commission will submit to the Council a 
report on the results achieved; 
Whereas it is necessary to make provisions in the 
certificate for other treatments such as for echino­
coccosis that may be required prior to entry into 
particular Member States, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
CHAPTER I 
Article 1 
Dogs and cats which are on visits of less than one year 
to a Member State other than those which apply quar­
antine must be accompanied by a certificate conforming 
6. 4. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 85/9 
to the specimen in Annex I, which shall be drawn up in 
at least the language of the originating Member State. 
Article 2 
Before 31 December 1990 the Commission shall submit 
to the Council proposals concerning the definitive 
arrangements for the completion of the internal market 
in respect of dogs and cats. 
The Council shall take a decision on these proposals 
before 1 July 1991. 
Article 3 
Member States shall admit onto their territory dogs and 
cats which are accompanied by the certificate as in 
Annex I, without prejudice to additional requirements 
which may be necessary in relation to quarantine for 
rabies in some Member States. 
CHAPTER II 
Article 4 
A Community measure is hereby established to create 
large-scale pilot projects for the eradication of rabies 
from the wild life of the Community using vaccines for 
the oral immunization of foxes. 
CHAPTER III 
Technical provisions relating to the creation of pilot 
projects for rabies eradication 
Article 5 
Rabies shall be a compulsorily notifiable disease in all 
species.-
Article 6 
For the purpose of this Regulation, Member States 
which are infected with rabies shall draw up plans to 
create large-scale pilot projects for the oral immuni­
zation of foxes. 
Article 7 
The minimum area for a pilot project shall be 6 000 km2 
or the total national area of the State infected with 
rabies. Priority shall be given to plans which involve 
cross-border cooperation. Article 8 
1. The pilot projects shall take into account natural 
and administrative boundaries, the prevalence of rabies 
as well as the epidemiological situation. The pilot 
projects will cater for at least two and possibly three 
vaccination campaigns in any one pilot project zone. The 
vaccination campaigns may be carried out twice a year in 
the spring and autumn or annually in the spring or 
autumn. Vaccination may be carried out annually in 
protective belts, adjacent to borders to avoid reinfection. 
The choice of vaccine and baits to be used shall be laid 
down according to the procedure set out in Article 18. 
2. Baits are to be dispersed at approximately 15 per 
km2 or less according to altitude. They are to be 
dispersed evenly with gloved hands in predetermined 
positions indicated on a grid map (scale 1 : 25 000); they 
must be invisible for humans and animals and protected 
from direct sunlight by a covering of leaves or grass. 
Other methods of distribution may be adopted. 
Article 9 
The plan referred to in Article 6 must indicate the 
following: 
— the bodies in charge of the technical organization, 
— a description of the area, 
— arrangements for dissemination of information to 
concerned persons such as medical and veterinary 
practitioners, various ministries, hunting associations, 
schools in the pilot project area, police and mayors 
etc., 
— arrangements for dispatching wild and domestic 
animals that are suspected of suffering from rabies to 
a central diagnostic laboratory, 
— arrangements for sending foxes killed during 
hunting, in the post vaccinal period, for testing for 
tetracycline incorporation and antibody formation, 
— arrangements for trapping small mammals in the 
zone during the first month following vaccination in 
order to be examined for rabies virus. 
Article 10 
Community financial aid shall be available for small scale 
conservation and preservation actions carried out in pilot 
project areas where hunters have been used for bait 
dispersion. The plans for such actions shall be submitted 
to the Commission by the Federation of Hunting Associ­
ations of the EEC. 
No C 85/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 6. 4. 89 
Article 11 
The Commission,, after examination of the proposed 
conservation and preservation actions and any 
amendments thereto, shall approve them in accordance 
with the procedure laid down in Article 18. 
CHAPTER IV 
Common and Financial provisions 
Article 12 
1. Member States shall forward to the Commission 
the pilot projects provided for in Article 6 and the infor­
mation required under Articles 8 and 9 and Annex II, 
prior to their implementation, not later than six months 
after the entry into effect of this Regulation, and 
annually thereafter. The pilot projects provided for in 
Article 6 shall be forwarded annually to the Commission 
by Member States and prior to their implementation in 
the case of Member States which have not yet drawn up 
pilot projects. 
2. The Commission shall examine the pilot projects 
forwarded in accordance with paragraph 1 for the 
purpose of determining whether, in terms of conformity 
with this Regulation and having regard to the objectives 
thereof, the conditions for financial contribution by the 
Community are met. Within four months following the 
receipt of any pilot projects the Commission shall, after 
examination of the proposed pilot projects and any 
amendments thereto, approve them in accordance with 
the procedure laid down in Article 18. 
3. Provisions will be made for coordinating Member 
States' pilot projects. 
4. On the dates fixed by the Commission in its 
decision of approval, as referred to in paragraph 2, 
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regu­
lations or administrative provisions required to 
implement the pilot projects for the control and eradi­
cation of rabies. 
Article 13 
1. Community financial aid shall be given for the 
measures provided for in this Regulation. 
2. Expenditure incurred by the Member States in 
connection with measures adopted pursuant to the pilot 
projects approved in accordance with Article 18 shall 
qualify for Community aid within the limits fixed in 
Articles 14 and 15. 
Article 14 
1. The estimated amount of aid to be charged to the 
Community budget for the period laid down in 
paragraph 2 shall be ECU 9,3 Million. Article 15 
1. Community financial aid shall be available for the 
following: 
— the purchase of anti-rabies oral vaccine plus bait for 
use in foxes, 
— the funding of small scale preservation and conser­
vation actions carried out in regions where hunters 
have been used for dispersing bait free of charge. 
2. The Community shall reimburse to the Member 
States: 
— ECU 0,5 for each vaccine plus bait dispersed within a 
pilot project area in the context of the measures 
provided for by this Regulation and complying with 
the special technical provisions referred to in Chapter 
HI, 
— expenditure incurred in carrying out small-scale 
conservation and preservation actions in pilot project 
areas where hunters have been used for dispersing 
bait free of charge up to a maximum of ECU 10 000 
per pilot project area per year, for a maximum period 
of three years. 
3. Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 of 
the Council (') shall apply mutatis mutandis. 
4. Detailed rules for the implemetation of this Article 
shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure set 
out in Article 18. 
Article 16 
The Commission shall make regular on-the-spot checks 
to verify from a veterinary viewpoint whether the plans 
are being applied. 
Member States shall take the necessary steps to facilitate 
these checks and shall in particular ensure that the 
experts are supplied at their request with all information 
and documentation needed for assessing the execution of 
the pilot projects. 
The provisions for implementing this Article, especially 
as regards the frequency and method of carrying out the 
checks referred to in the first subparagraph, the rules 
governing the appointment of official veterinarians and 
the procedure which they must follow when drawing up 
their repport, shall be laid down according to the 
procedures laid down in Article 18. 
Article 17 
The Commission shall be assisted by the Standing 
Veterinary Committee (hereafter 'the Committee') set up 
by the Council Decision of 15 October 1968. 
2. This measure shall be applicable for three years. (') OJ No L 94, 28. 4. 1970, p. 13. 
6. 4. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 85/11 
Article 18 
1. The representative of the Commission shall submit 
to the Committee a draft of the measures to be adopted. 
The Committee shall deliver its opinion on such 
measures within a time limit to be set by the Chairman 
according to the urgency of the questions under 
consideration. Opinions shall be delivered by the 
majority specified in Article 148 (2) of the Treaty in the 
case of decisions to be adopted by the Council following 
a proposal from the Commission. Within the Committee 
the votes of the Member States shall be weighted as 
provided for in the said Article 148. The Chairman shall 
not vote. 
2. The Commission shall adopt the measures where 
they are in accordance with the Committee's opinion. 
3. Where the proposed measures are not in 
accordance with the Committee's opinion or if the 
Committee fails to deliver an opinion, the Commission 
shall forthwith submit to the Council a proposal relating to the measures to be taken. The Council adopts the 
measures by a qualified majority. 
If, after a period of three months after the matter was 
referred to it, the Council has not acted the Commission 
shall adopt the proposed measures. 
Article 19 
When the pilot projects have been executed, the 
Commission shall submit a general report to the Council 
on the results obtained, with a proposal for further 
harmonization of national preventive measures, should 
this be necessary-
Article 20 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the 30th day 
following its publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Communities. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and 
directly applicable to all Member States. 
No C 85/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 6. 4. 89 
ANNEX I 
Rabies vaccination and health certificate for dogs and cats on visits of less than 1 year in the Member 
States (') 
1. Valid from to -. (2) 
2. Name and address of owner 
3. Description 
Dog/cat 
Breed 
Male/female 
Age 
Colour 
Coat type and marking 
Tatoo No (where present) 
4. Health certification 
I, the undersigned, hereby declare that I have examined the above described animal and it did not show 
any symptoms of contagious diseases and it was clinically healthy on the day of examination (3). 
5. Rabies vaccination 2nd vaccination 3rd vaccination 
Vaccination date 
Type of rabies vaccine 
Manufacturing laboratory 
Batch No 
Expiring date 
Signature of Veterinarian 
Name and address 
(Printed) 
Date 
(') This certificate does not prejudice the requirements for quarantine in some Member States. Dogs and cats will 
continue to be subject to a minimum of six months quarantine on entry into Ireland and the United Kingdom. 
(2) This certificate is valid as follows: for three months for dogs and cats under three months of age; for those over three 
months of age from the 30th day until the end of the 12th month after the date of the first vaccination (second 
injection); in the case of revaccination within the validity period, for 12 months from the date of revaccination. 
(J) Dogs and cats must be treated for tapeworms within 30 days prior to entry into Greece. 
6. 4. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 85/13 
ANNEX II 
Guidelines for a timetable for an oral vaccination campaign of foxes 
Days prior to ar 
Immediately 
— 100 to —60 
— 60 to — 14 
— 30 to — 10 
— 7 
— 4 
— 1 
0/00 
+ 1 
+ 4, + 8, + 14 
+ 1 to + 20 id after vaccination Activities 
general planning 
responsibilities 
budget 
information to governmental authorities (health, agriculture, 
hunting and forestry, police) 
assignment of duties and functions 
freezer space for storage of baits 
notification of vaccine manufacturing centre on vaccination 
date and number of baits and vaccines required 
information to hunters and game wardens: assignment of 
duties 
information to local authorities 
transportation of baits to place of storage (—20 °C) 
information to schools 
information to news media 
preparation of baits for distribution 
storage at + 4 °C 
issue of baits and maps to distribution teams 
distribution of baits 
return of maps 
control of baits for uptake in special control areas 
virological, serological and tetracycline testing 
evaluation of information 
inclusion of experience into future projects 
Note: in cross-border projects above arrangements will have to be coordinated with organizing body in other country.