No C 72/6 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 24. 3. 80 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Regulation  laying  down  conditions  designed  to ren-
der and keep  the territory  of the Community  free  from  classical  swine  fever 
The text referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the Euro-
pean  Communities  No C 187  of 25 July  1979  page  2. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 25 July  1979  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Articles  43 and 100 of the Treaty  establishing 
the European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the above  matter  at its 
173rd  plenary  session  held  in Brussels  on 21 November  1979. 
The full  text of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the Treaty  establishing  the Euro-
pean  Economic  Community  and,  in particular,  Arti-
cles 43 and 100  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the Council  on 
25 July  1979  for an opinion, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Chairman 
on 8 August  1979,  instructing  the Section  for Agricul-
ture to prepare  the Committee's  work  on the new  pro-
posal, 
Having  regard  to its previous  work  on this  subject, 
Having  regard  to the oral  report  made  by the Rap-
porteur,  Mr Wick, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the Sectiop 
for Agriculture  at its meeting  on 6 November  1979, 
Having  regard  to the discussion  at its 173rd  Plenary 
Session  held  on 21 November  1979, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee  approves  the Commission's  propo-
sal, subject  to the following  comments. 
I. General  comments 
1. The  Committee  has always  supported  the efforts 
to improve  animal  health.  It therefore  gives  its sup-
port also  to the Commission's  proposal  laying  down 
conditions  designed  to free  the Community  from 
classical  swine  fever  and keep  it free.  The Committee 
recognizes  that  certain  Member  States  are already 
free from  swine  fever. 2. In its opinion  of 22 May  1979  on the proposal  for 
a Council  Regulation  on Community  measures  to 
combat  classical  swine  fever,  the Committee  already 
pointed  out that  it would  be expedient  to combine  the 
measures  to combat  swine  fever  with  measures  to free 
the Community  from  that  disease  and  keep  it free. 
This is particularly  important  as regards  the control 
of movements  of livestock,  especially  vaccinated 
animals. 
3. The  Committee  regards  the present  Commission 
proposal  as a further  step  towards  improving  intra-
Community  trade. 
4. In  order  to make  this a reality,  the various  rules 
implementing  the proposed  measures  must  be care-
fully  observed  and  it must  be possible  to carry  out 
watertight  checks.  The  Committee  feels  that  precau-
tions  must  be taken  constantly  by the Community  to 
ensure  that  countries  and  regions  where  swine  fever 
has been  eradicated  are not reinfected. 
5. In  view  of the fact  that  the legal  bases  differ 
greatly  from  one Member  State  to another,  the choice 
of a Regulation  as the instrument  for laying  down 
conditions  should  be reviewed.  Would  it not be possi-
ble to have  recourse  to a Directive  without  jeopardi-
zing the proposed  objectives? 
6. The  Committee  would  point  out that  the Regula-
tion would  abolish  protective  laws  covering  swine  fe-
ver in some  Member  States. 
7. Since  the rules  governing  the movement  of live-
stock  between  the individual  regions  also  provide  for 
the movement  of vaccinated  animals  under  certain 
conditions,  it should  be laid down  which  vaccines  are 
permitted  and  how  these  vaccines  are to be checked 
at Community  level. 
24. 3. 80 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 72/7 
8. The  Committee  would  point  out that  by the date 
on which  the measures  are to enter  into  force,  it 
would  be necessary  to include  Greece. 
II. Specific  comments 
Article  2 (e) 
Not all the Member  States  have  a central  authority  to 
appoint  the official  veterinarian.  The words  'compe-
tent authorities'  should  therefore  be used. 
In the German  text,  the words  'bezeichneter  Tier-
arzt' should  be replaced  by 'beauftragter  Tierarzt', 
for the sake  of clarity. 
Article  3 
Clear  rules  and proper  use of animal  markings  are 
needed  for the checks  on movements  of pigs  and the 
necessary  certificates.  The  Committee  assumes  that 
the Member  States  will adopt  the necessary  measures. 
The text  of Article  3 should  be made  clearer  in this 
respect. 
Articles  4 and 5 
The proposed  conditions  governing  the movement  of 
pigs within  or between  the individual  regions  seem 
very complicated  and difficult  to understand.  Since  it 
is desirable  for the rules  to be applied  rigorously  so as 
to preclude  any risk  of spreading  swine  fever,  they 
should  be worded  as clearly  as possible.  The  Com-
mittee  thinks  that the text is in particular  need  of revi-
sion from  this point  of view. 
Article  7 
The authorization  for the drawing-up  of attestations 
by the owners  or keepers  of pigs  goes  too far. In the 
Committee's  view,  an official  certificate  cannot  be 
dispensed  with. Article  9 
Like the texts  of Articles  4 and 5, the provisions  con-
cerning  the classification  of regions  seem  very  com-
plicated  and do not preclude  situations  that might  en-
tail a risk.  The provisions  should  be simple  and strin-
gent in keeping  with  the objectives. 
Article  10 
The period  after  which  the classification  as region 
free from  swine  fever  is to be granted  or restored 
should  be specified  more  clearly.  In particular,  the 
wording  of paragraph  1 (c) is ambiguous  in that  the 
total period  could  be six months  or 18 months. 
Articles  12 and 13 
The Standing  Veterinary  Committee  should  keep  a 
watching  brief  on all measures  taken  at regional  and 
national  level  to implement  this Regulation. 
Article  14 
The Standing  Veterinary  Committee  has a major  role 
to play  in the moves  to combat  swine  fever  and keep 
the Community  free  of that  disease.  The Committee 
would  point  out that  according  to the present  text of 
Article  14, taken  in conjunction  with  Article  16, the 
Standing  Veterinary  Committee  would  no longer  be 
in existence  when  the Regulation  entered  into  force. 
In the Committee's  view,  however,  a standing  veteri-
nary committee  or similar  body  is needed  to carry  out 
the tasks  laid  down  in Article  13. 
Article  16 
In view  of the necessary  adjustments  in the Member 
States,  the proposed  date  for the entry  into  force  of 
the Regulation  seems  too early.  The Committee  con-
siders  that  there  should  be an appropriate  transi-
tional  period. 
Done  at Brussels,  21 November  1979. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Raffaele  VANNI