30. 12. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 327751 
limit which the chairman may lay down according to the 
urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the 
majority laid down in Article 148 (2) of the Treaty in the case 
of decisions which the Council is required to adopt on a 
proposal from the Commission. The votes of the 
representatives of the Member States within the Committee 
shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The 
chairman shall not vote. 
4. The Commission shall adopt the measures envisaged if 
they are in accordance with the opinion of the 
Committee. 
5. If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with 
the opinion of the Committee, or if no opinion is delivered, 
the Commission shall, without delay, submit to the Council a 
proposal relating to the measures to be taken. The Council 
shall act by a qualified majority. 
If, on the expiry of three months from the date of referral to 
the Council, the Council has not acted, the proposed 
measures shall be adopted by the Commission. 
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 rodents, in particular rabbits, hares, mice and rats, 
are, as live animals, included among the products listed in 
Annex II to the EEC Treaty; 
Whereas, in order to ensure the harmonious development of 
the production of rodents and thus raise productivity in that 
sector, it is advisable to lay down common rules regarding 
the placing of rodents on the market in the Community; Article 10 
1. The Commission shall carry out regular on-the-spot 
checks to ensure that the eradication plan is being 
applied. 
The Commission shall inform the Member States within the 
Committee of developments regularly, at least once a year, in 
the light of the information provided by the Italian 
authorities, who shall submit a progress report to the 
Commission together with the applications for payment and 
any reports from experts who, acting on behalf of the 
Community and appointed by the Commission, have made 
on-the-spot visits. 
2. Should the eradiction plan require amendment in the 
course of its execution, a new decision approving it shall be 
taken in accordance with the procedure laid down in 
Article 9. 
Article 11 
This Decision is addressed to the Italian Republic. 
farming; whereas it constitutes a source of income for part of 
the farming population; 
Whereas, with a view to encouraging intra-Community trade 
in rodents, it is advisable to remove disparities between 
Member States as regards animal health restrictions; 
Whereas, if they are to be placed on the market, rodents must 
meet certain animal health requirements designed to avoid 
the spread of contagious diseases; 
Whereas reference should be made, as regards the 
organisation and follow-up of the checks to be carried out by 
the Member State of destination and as regards the protective 
measures to be introduced, to the general rules laid down in 
Council Regulation (EEC) concerning veterinary controls in 
intra-Community trade with a view to the completion of the 
internal market (*); 
Whereas provision should be made for allowing the 
Commission to conduct its own independent checks, Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) on animal health conditions governing the placing 
of rodents on the market in the Community 
COM(89) 500 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 30 October 1989) 
(89/C 327/10) 
Whereas the breeding and rearing of rodents, and in 
particular of rabbits is generally regarded as a type of (M OJ No C 225, 31. 8. 1988, p. 4. 
No C 327/58 Official Journal of the European Communities 30. 12. 89 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
This Regulation lays down the animal health conditions 
governing the placing of rodents on the market in the 
Community. 
Article 2 
For the purposes of this Regulation: 
1. 'rodents' means animals of the order of rodents, 
including lagomorphs; 
2. 'domestic rodents' means rodents born, bred and kept in 
captivity; 
3. 'wild rodents' means rodents born and living in their 
natural habitat. — two months in the case of haemorrhagic disease, 
— three months in the case of tularemia. 
Article 6 
1. The placing of wild rodents on the market shall be 
prohibited if they come from a zone of a radius of 10 
kilometres, in which one of the disease referred to in Article 4 
is present or is suspected of being present. 
2. The period of prohibition after the last recorded case 
must be at least three months. 
Article 7 
Regulation (EEC) shall apply, in particular as regards the 
organization of and the follow-up to the checks carried out 
by the Member State of destination, and the safeguard 
measures to be applied. 
Article 3 
Without prejudice to Article 8, all rodents may be placed on 
the market in the Community, provided they are not subject 
to a prohibition as laid down in Articles 5 and 6. 
Article 4 
The presence or suspected presence of the following diseases 
must be reported to the official veterinarian: 
— rabies, 
— myxomatosis, 
— haemorrhagic disease, 
— tularemia. 
Article 5 
1. The removal of domestic rodents from a holding shall 
be prohibited if they come from or if they have been in 
contact with animals from a holding where one of the 
diseases referred to in Article 4 and to which they are 
susceptible is present or is suspected of being present. 
2. The period of prohibition after the last recorded case 
must, where the animals of susceptible species have not been 
slaughtered and the premises have not been disinfected, be at 
least: 
— one month in the case of rabies, 
— two months in the case of myxomatosis, Article 8 
Pending the application of the Community rules concerned, 
the conditions applicable to the import of rodents from third 
countries must not be more favourable than those governing 
intra-Community trade. 
Article 9 
Veterinary experts of the Commission may, where required 
in the interests of the uniform application of this Regulation, 
carry out on-the-spot inspections. The Commission shall 
inform the Member States of the results of the inspections 
carried out. 
The Member States on whose territory the inspections are 
carried out shall provide the experts with all the assistance 
required to perform their work. 
The Commission shall lay down general rules for the 
application of this Article and adopt a code of rules in respect 
of the inspections referred to in this Article. 
Article 10 
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 in all Member States.