22. 9. 82 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 248/3 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Directive introducing Community measures for the control of 
foot-and-mouth disease 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 13 September 1982) 
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 Par­
liament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas one of the Community's tasks in the 
veterinary field is to improve the state of health of 
livestock, thereby increasing the profitability of 
stockf arming; 
Whereas such action should also help te remove those 
remaining barriers to trade between Member States in 
live animals and fresh meat which are caused by 
differences in their respective animal health situations; 
Whereas an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease can 
quickly take on epizootic proportions, causing 
mortality and disturbances on a scale liable to reduce 
sharply the profitability of farming of pigs and 
ruminants as a whole; 
Whereas action must be taken as soon as the presence 
of the disease is suspected so that immediate and 
effective control measures can be implemented as 
soon as its presence is confirmed; 
Whereas it is necessary to present any spread of the 
disease as soon as an outbreak occurs, by carefully 
monitoring movements of animals and the use of 
products liable to be contaminated, and, where 
appropriate, by vaccination; 
Whereas diagnosis of the disease and identification of 
the relevant virus must be carried out under the 
auspices of responsible laboratories the coordination 
of which must be ensured by a laboratory appointed 
by the Community; 
Whereas the vaccine used for emergency vaccination 
must be verified both for efficacy and safety under 
the auspices of a laboratory appointed by the 
Community, and whereas special coordinated measures must be implemented where virus types or 
variants are detected against which the vaccines 
usually used in the Community do not provide 
sufficient protection; 
Whereas a procedure for close cooperation between 
the Member States and the Commission must be 
provided for, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
This Directive introduces Community measures for 
the control of foot-and-mouth disease, whatever the 
type of virus concerned. 
Article 2 
For the purposes of this Directive, the following 
definitions shall apply: 
(a) 'animal of a susceptible species' means any 
domestic or wild ruminant or swine, 
(b) 'holding' means any establishment (agricultural or 
other), situated in the territory of a Member 
State, in which animals of susceptible species are 
kept or bred; 
(c) 'animal suspected of being infected with foot-
and-mouth disease' means any animal of a 
susceptible species showing clinical symptoms, 
post-mortem lesions, or reactions to laboratory 
tests indicating the possible presence of foot-and-
mouth disease; 
(d) 'animal infected with foot-and-mouth disease' 
means any animal of a susceptible species: 
— in which clinical symptoms or post-mortem 
lesions of foot-and-mouth disease have been 
officially ascertained, 
or 
— in which the presence of foot-and-mouth 
disease has been officially ascertained 
following a laboratory examination; 
(e) 'official veterinarian' means the veterinarian 
appointed by the competent central authority of 
the Member State. 
No C 248/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 9. 82 
Article 3 
Member States shall ensure that the presence or the 
suspected presence of foot-and-mouth disease are 
compulsorily and immediately notifiable to the 
competent authority. 
Article 4 
1. Where a holding contains one or more animals 
suspected of being infected with foot-and-mouth 
disease, Member States shall ensure that the official 
veterinarian immediately sets in motion official means 
of investigation to confirm or rule out the presence of 
the said disease, in particular by taking the necessary 
samples for laboratory examination. 
As soon as the suspected infection is notified, the 
competent authority shall have the holding placed 
under official surveillance and shall in particular 
order that: 
— a census be made of all categories of animals of 
susceptible species on the holding, and that, in 
respect of each of these categories, the number of 
animals already dead or liable to be infected be 
recorded; the census must be kept up to date to 
take account of animals born or dying during the 
suspect period; the information in the census must 
be produced on request and be liable to veri­
fication at each visit; 
— all animals of susceptible species on the holding be 
kept in their living quarters or some other place 
where they can be isolated; 
— no animals of susceptible species enter or leave the 
holding; 
— no animals of other species enter or leave the 
holding without an authorization issued by the 
competent authority; 
— failing authorization issued in each case by the 
competent authority, all dispatching from the 
holding of meat or carcases of animals of 
susceptible species or of animal feed, utensils or 
other objects and waste liable to transmit the 
disease be prohibited; 
— no milk leave the holding and, where it is used on 
the holding, that proper heat treatment be 
applied; 
— the movement of persons to or from the holding 
be made subject to authorization by the 
competent authority; 
— the movement of vehicles to or from the holding 
be made subject to authorization by the 
competent authority; 
— appropriate means of disinfection be used at the 
entrances and exits of buildings housing animals 
of susceptible species and of the holding itself; 
— an epizootiological inquiry be carried out in 
accordance with Article 7 and 8. 2. The competent authority shall have power to 
extend the measures provided for in paragraph 1 to 
holdings adjoining the relevant holding should their 
location, their configuration, or contacts with animals 
from the relevant holding give reason to suspect 
possible contamination. 
3. The measures referred to paragraphs 1 and 2 
shall not be lifted until the suspicion of foot-and-
mouth disease has been officially refuted. 
Article 5 
1. In cases where the presence of foot-and-mouth 
disease has been officially confirmed, Member States 
shall ensure that: 
(a) the official veterinarian takes adequate samples 
for laboratory examination when the confir­
mation of disease has not been preceded by a 
period of suspicion. 
(b) the competent authority, in addition to the 
measures listed in Article 4(1) requires that: 
— all animals of susceptible species of the 
holding be killed on the spot without delay 
under official control, and in such a way as to 
avoid all risk of dispersion of the foot-and-
mouth virus. However, when killing on the 
spot is impossible, the animals must be 
transported in specially equipped vehicles to 
the place of slaughter, the whole operation 
being carried out in such a way as to avoid all 
risk of dispersion of the foot-and-mouth 
virus; 
— after slaughter the animals referred to above 
be destroyed under official supervision in such 
a way that there is no risk of dispersion of the 
foot-and-mouth virus; 
— meat of animals of susceptible species 
slaughtered during the period between the 
probable introduction of the disease to the 
holding and the implementation of official 
measures be, wherever possible, traced and 
destroyed under official supervision in such a 
way as to avoid any risk of dispersion of the 
foot-and-mouth virus; 
— the carcases of animals of susceptible species 
which have died on the holding be destroyed 
under official supervision in such a way as to 
avoid any risk of dispersion of the foot-and-
mouth virus; 
— all substances such as wool or waste likely to 
be contaminated, such as feedingstuffs, dung, 
etc., de destroyed or treated in such a way as 
to ensure the destruction of any foot-and-
mouth virus present; this treatment must be 
carried out in accordance with the instructions 
of the official veterinarian; 
22. 9. 82 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 248/5 
— milk and milk products be destroyed in such a 
way as to avoid all risk of dispersion of the 
foot-and-mouth virus; 
— after elimination of the animals of susceptible 
species, the buildings used for housing the 
animals, their surroundings and the vehicles 
used for transporting them and all equipment 
likely to be contaminated be cleaned and 
disinfected in accordance with Article 10; 
— no animals of susceptible species be 
reintroduced to the holding within at least 
15 days after completion of the cleaning and 
disinfection operations carried out in 
accordance with Article 10; 
— an epizootiological inquiry be carried out in 
accordance with Articles 7 and 8. 
2. The competent authority shall have power to 
extend the measures provided for in paragraph 1 to 
holdings adjoining the relevant holding should their 
location, their configuration, or contacts with animals 
from the relevant holding give reason to suspect 
contamination. 
Article 6 
1. In the case of holdings which consist of two or 
more separate production units and in order that 
fattening of susceptible species of animal may be 
completed, the competent authority may derogate 
from the first and second indents of Article 5 (1) (b) 
as regards healthy production units on a holding 
which is infected provided that the official veteri­
narian has confirmed that the structure and size of 
these production units and the operations carried out 
there are such that the production units provide 
completely separate facilities for housing, keeping and 
feeding, so that the virus cannot spread from one 
production unit to another. 
The same measures, and the possibility of derogating 
from the requirements of the sixth indent of Article 
5 (1) (b) may be extended to holdings producing 
milk, provided that in addition milking in each unit is 
usually carried out completely separately. 
2. Where recourse is had to paragraph 1, the 
Member States shall draw up detailed rules for 
applying it in the light of the animal health 
guarantees which can be given. The shall notify the 
Commission thereof. 
3. A decision may be taken, in accordance with the 
procedure laid down in Article 16, that the measures 
referred to in paragraph 1 are to be amended in order 
to ensure their coordination with those adopted by 
the Member States. 
Article 7 
The epizootiological inquiry shall deal with: 
— the length of time during which the foot-and-
mouth disease may have existed on the holding 
before being notified or suspected; — the possible origin of the foot-and-mouth disease 
on the holding and the identification of other 
holdings on which there are animals of susceptible 
species which may have become infected from the 
same source; 
— the movement of persons, vehicles, animals, 
carcases, meat, material or agents likely to have 
carried the virus to or from the holdings. 
Article 8 
1. Where the official veterinarian finds, or 
considers on the basis of confirmed data, that foot-
and-mouth disease could have been introduced from 
other holdings on to the holding referred to in Article 
4, or from the latter holding on to other holdings, as 
a result of the movement of persons, animals, vehicles 
or in any other way, those other holdings shall be 
placed under official surveillance in accordance with 
paragraph 3, and this surveillance shall not be lifted 
until the suspicion of foot-and-mouth disease in 
relation to the holding referred to in Article 4 has 
been officially refuted. 
2. Where the official veterinarian finds, or 
considers on the basis of confirmed data, that foot-
and-mouth disease could have been introduced on to 
the holding referred to in Article 5 from other 
holdings as a result of the movement of persons, 
animals or vehicles or in any other way, those other 
holdings shall be placed under official surveillance in 
accordance with paragraph 3. 
Where the official veterinarian finds, of considers on 
the basis of confirmed data, that foot-and-mouth 
disease could have been introduced from the holding 
referred to in Article 5 on to other holdings as a 
result of the movement of persons, animals or vehicles 
or in any other way, those other holdings shall 
become subject to the provisions of Article 4. 
3. The purpose of the official surveillance shall be 
to detect immediately any suspicion of foot-and-
mouth disease, to make a census of animals of a 
susceptible species, to check their movements and, 
where appropriate, to implement any or all of the 
measures provided for in Article 4(1). 
Article 9 
1. Once the diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease 
has been officially confirmed, the Member States shall 
ensure that the competent authority establishes, 
around the infected holding, a protection zone based 
on a minimum radius of two kilometres and a sur­
veillance zone based on a minimum radius of ten 
kilometres, endeavouring to include in one of the two 
zones a slaughterhouse capable of receiving the 
animals from the protection zone. The establishment 
No C 248/6 Official Journal of the 
of zones must take account of natural boundaries and 
control facilities. 
2. (a) The following measures shall be applied in the 
protection zone: 
— a census shall be carried out of all the 
holdings having animals of a susceptible 
species, these holdings being visited period­
ically; 
— the movement of animals of susceptible 
species on public or private roads, 
excluding means of access within holdings, 
shall be prohibited; 
— animals of susceptible species may be 
removed from the holding on which they 
are kept only to be transported directly 
under official supervision for the purpose 
of immediate slaughter to the slaugh­
terhouse defined in paragraph 1. Such 
transport may be authorized by the 
competent authority only after the official 
veterinarian has carried out an examination 
of all the animals of susceptible species on 
the holding and confirmed that none of the 
animals is suspected of being infected with 
foot-and-mouth disease; 
— itinerant service for breeding shall be 
prohibited; 
— artificial insemination shall be prohibited; 
— fairs, markets, shows or other gatherings of 
animals, including collection and distri­
bution of animals, shall be prohibited; 
— the transport of animals of susceptible 
species in transit is prohibited except for 
transit by major highways or main-line 
railways. 
(b) The measures applied in the protection zone 
shall be maintained until at least 15 days after 
elimination of all animals of susceptible species 
on the holding referred to in Article 5 and the 
execution on this holding of the cleaning and 
disinfection operations in accordance with 
Article 10. However, the measures set out in 
paragraph 3 for the surveillance zone shall 
remain in force in the protection zone. 
3. (a) The following measures shall be applied in the 
surveillance zone: 
— a census shall be made of all holdings 
which have animals of susceptible species; 
— the movement of animals of susceptible 
species on public roads is prohibited; 
— the transport of animals of susceptible 
species within the surveillance zone shall be 
subject to authorization issued by the 
competent authority; European Communities 22. 9. 82 
— animals of susceptible species may be 
removed from the surveillance zone only 
under official control, and during the 15 
days following the date of establishment of 
this zone only to a slaughterhouse for 
immediate slaughter. Such removals shall 
be authorized by the competent authority 
only after examination by the official 
veterinarian of all the animals of 
susceptible species on the holding has ruled 
out the presence of animals suspected of 
being infected with foot-and-mouth 
disease; 
— itinerant service for breeding shall be 
prohibited; 
— fairs, markets, shows and other gatherings 
of animals shall be prohibited. 
(b) The measures in the surveillance zone shall be 
kept in force until at least 30 days after the 
elimination of all the animals of susceptible 
species on the holding referred to in Article 5 
and the execution on this holding of the 
cleaning and disinfection operations in 
accordance with Article 10. 
Article 10 
The Member States shall ensure that: 
— the disinfectants to be used and their 
concentrations are officially approved by the 
competent authority, 
— the cleaning and disinfection operations are 
carried out under official supervision, in 
accordance with the instructions given by the 
official veterinarian. 
Article 11 
1. The Member States shall ensure that: 
— laboratory examinations carried out in order to 
detect the presence of foot-and-mouth disease, if 
necessary and especially on the first appearance of 
disease, show the type and sub-type and, where 
appropriate, the variant of the relevant virus; 
— the examinations are carried out by a national 
laboratory in accordance with Annex I; 
— the type or sub-type and, where appropriate, the 
variant of the relevant virus, are confirmed, if 
necessary, by a reference laboratory assignated by 
the Community; 
— liaison between the national laboratories defined 
in the second indent is ensured by a laboratory 
designated by the Community. 
2. The Council, acting on a proposal from the 
Commission, shall designate the laboratories referred 
to in the third and fourth indents of paragraph 1 and 
shall determine their powers and the conditions of 
their operation. 
22. 9. 82 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 248/7 
Article 12 
1. Without prejudice to existing Community 
provisions in this field, Member States shall inform 
the Commission and the other Member States about 
the epizootiology and development of the disease in 
accordance with Annex II. 
2. Annex II may be amended in accordance with 
the procedure laid down in Article 17. 
Article 13 
Member States shall ensure that: 
— when animals of susceptible species are moved out 
of the holding on which they are kept, they are 
identified so as to enable the holding of origin, or 
the holding from which they have been 
transported, and their movements to be traced 
rapidly. However, for certain animals, and in 
certain circumstances, having regard to the health 
situation, the competent authority may authorize 
other ways of rapidly identifying the holding of 
origin or the holding from which the animals have 
been transported and of rapidly tracing the 
animals' movements. The arrangements for 
marking the animals or for identifying the 
holdings of origin shall be determined by the 
competent authority, 
— all persons engaged in the transport or marketing 
of animals of susceptible species are able to supply 
the competent authority with information 
concerning the movements of animals which they 
have transported or marketed, and to furnish 
proper evidence concerning such information; the 
same obligation shall be incumbent upon all 
persons keeping such animals in respect of animals 
entering or leaving their holdings. 
Article 14 
1. When foot-and-mouth disease is diagnosed on a 
holding, the measures to control the disease may be 
supplemented by the vaccination of animals of 
susceptible species on holdings threatened with 
contamination in a territorial area specified by the 
competent authority. 
2. In the case referred to in paragraph 1, the 
Member State shall ensure that: 
(a) without prejudice to national arrangements where 
such arrangements provide for the preventive 
vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease of 
any or all of the animals of susceptible species on 
part or all of the national territory, the vacci­
nation or re-vaccination of animals of susceptible 
species on the holdings referred to in Articles 4 
and 5 is prohibited; 
(b) serum injection is prohibited; 
(c) the anti foot-and-mouth disease vaccine used and 
the method of use are in accordance with the rules established under the procedure provided 
for in Article 17; 
(d) the vaccine used is verified ' by the competent 
authority under the aegis of a specialized institute 
designated by the Community; 
(e) any vaccine imported from a non-member 
country meets the requirements set out under (c) 
and is verified as indicated under (d). 
3. Where types, sub-types or variants of virus are 
detected against which the vaccines usually used 
provide no protection or insufficient protection, the 
Member State concerned shall immediately inform 
the Commission and the other Member States stating 
what emergency measures it believes necessary for the 
adaptation of vaccine formulae and their use. If the 
adoption of Community measures prove necessary, 
such measures shall, in the light of the national 
measures referred to above, be adopted according to 
the procedure provided for in Article 16. 
4. On a proposal from the Commission the 
Council shall designate the laboratory referred to in 
paragraph 2(d) and shall decide upon its powers and 
conditions of operation. 
Article 15 
Should foot-and-mouth disease assume alarming 
proportions on the territory of a Member State, and, 
despite the measures taken, particularly in application 
of Article 14, the epidemic take on an extensive 
character and extend widely outside the limits of the 
vaccinated zone, it may be decided in accordance 
with the procedure laid down in Article 16, at the 
request of that Member State and where justified by 
an assessment of the situation, to permit derogations 
from certain provisions of Article 5, to the extent of a 
selective reduction of the slaughter and destruction of 
susceptible animals in the holdings where the disease 
occurs. In this case, the conditions of application for 
the measures which are decided upon shall be 
established if necessary according to the same 
procedure. 
Article 16 
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is 
to be followed, the matter shall without delay be 
referred by the chairman, either on his own initiative 
or at the request of a Member State, to the Standing 
Veterinary Committee (hereinafter referred to as 'the 
Committee') set up by the Council Decision of 15 
October 1968. 
2. Within the Committee the votes of the Member 
States shall be weighted as laid down in Article 
148 (2) of the Treaty. The chairman shall not vote. 
3. The representative of the Commission shall 
submit a draft of the measures to be adopted. The 
Committee shall deliver its opinion on these measures 
No C 248/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 9. 82 
within two days. Opinions shall be delivered by a 
majority of forty-five votes. 
4. The Commission shall adopt the measures and 
shall implement them immediately, where they are in 
accordance with the opinion of the Committee. 
Where the measures 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 on the measures to be 
taken. The Council shall adopt the measures by 
qualified majority. 
If the Council has not adopted any measures within 
15 days of the date on which the matter is referred to 
it, the Commission shall adopt the proposed measures 
and shall implement them immediately unless the 
Council has voted against the said measures by a 
simple majority. 
Article 17 
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is 
to be followed, the matter shall without delay be 
referred by the chairman, either on his own initiative 
or at the request of a Member State, to the 
Committee. 
2. Within the Committee the votes of the Member 
States shall be weighted as laid down in Article 
148 (2) of the Treaty. The chairman shall not vote. 
3. The representative of the Commission shall 
submit a draft of the measures to be adopted. The 
Committee shall deliver its opinion by a date which 
the Chairman may set in the light of the urgency of the matters submitted for examination. Opinions shall 
be delivered by a majority of forty-five votes. 
4. The Commission shall adopt the measures and 
shall implement them immediately, where they are in 
accordance with the opinion of the Committee. 
Where the measures 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 on the measures to be 
taken. The Council shall adopt the measures by 
qualified majority. 
If the Council has not adopted any measures within 
three months of the date on which the matter is 
referred to it, the Commission shall adopt the 
proposed measures and shall implement them 
immediately unless the Council has voted against the 
said measures by a simple majority. 
Article 18 
On the basis of a report, containing proposals where 
appropriate, on the experience gained in controlling 
foor-and-mouth disease, the Council shall review the 
situation with a view to further harmonization, by 
31 December 1985. 
Article 19 
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regu­
lations and administrative provisions necessary to 
comply with this Directive on 1 July 1983. 
Article 20 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 
ANNEX I 
THE NATIONAL FOOT-AND-MOUTH LABORATORIES ARE AS FOLLOWS 
BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG: Institut national de recherches veterinaires, Groeselenberg 99, 
1180-Bruxelles. 
DENMARK: Statens veterinaere Institut for Virusforskning, Lindholm. 
ITALY: Istituto zooprofilattico sperimentale della Lombardia e della Emilia Romagna — Brescia. 
UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND: Animal Virus Research Institute, Pirbright, Woking, 
Surrey. 
FRANCE: Laboratoire national de pathologie bovine, Lyon. 
GREECE: Institute for foot-and-mouth disease, Aghia Paraskevi Attikis. 
GERMANY: Bundesforschungsanstalt fiir Viruskrankheiten der Tiere, Tubingen. 
NETHERLANDS: Centraal Diergeneeskundig Instituut, Lelystad. 
22. 9. 82 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 248/9 
ANNEX II 
EPIZOOTIOLOGICAL INFORMATION 
1. Within 24 hours of notification of the first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the Member 
State concerned must forward the following information to the Commission and the other 
Member States: 
— the date on which the disease was suspected; 
— the date on which the disease was confirmed: 
type, sub-type and, as appropriate, variant of the relevant virus (where such information is 
not yet available at the time of notification, it must be sent as soon as possible): 
— location of the holding infected, distance of the nearest livestock holdings; 
— number of animals by species on the holding; 
— for each species, number of animals found to be infected and the level of morbidity of the 
disease. 
2. The information specified in paragraph 1 must be followed as soon as possible by a report stating 
the following: 
— the date on which the animals of susceptible species on the holding were slaughtered and 
destroyed; 
— any available information concerning the possible origin of the disease or the origin of the 
disease if this has been ascertained. 
3. The Member State concerned must forward the information specified in paragraph 1 to the 
Commission and the other Member States, within the time limit laid down therein, in respect of 
each subsequent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease until the number of infected holdings and 
the dispersion of the disease show it to be extensive.