o51. 12.90 Ofhcial]ournal of the European Communities l^oCoB]2B10^ 
OpuuoBOBthe proposal foraCoBBcu^e^at^B(EEC)co^ 
coBd^noBs^overBB^ die e^acu^oBU^e market of a^uacultureaBB^ 
(90BC^2B^0) 
On 21 Eebruaryl990 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Articlel9^ of theTreaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
TheSectionfor Agriculture and fisheries which was responsible for preparing the Com^ 
mittee^sworkon the subject, adopted its Opinion on^Septemberl990.The Rapporteur 
was^irEerrazdaSilva. 
At its 279th plenary session (meetingof 19 September 1990) the Economic and Social 
Committee adopted unanimously the following Opinion. 
1. ^reduction 
1.1. The proposed Regulation is designed to define 
animalhealthrulesgovemingthemarketingofaquacul^ 
ture animals and products.Phe aim is to develop pro^ 
duction and increase productivity in this sector. 
1.2. Pothis same end, the proposal seeks to prevent 
the possible spread of contagious diseases, particularly 
those listed in Anne^ A. 
1.^. The Committee welcomes the Commissions 
proposal, subject to the following comments. 
2. General commeBts 
2.1. The Committee highlights the fact that one of 
the aims ^s to limit trade in goods not complying with 
Community health provisions, thus reducing the possi^ 
bility of diseases spreading. 
2.2. The committee points to the need for accurate 
information about the diseases which can be contracted 
by fish dealt with in this proposal, and in particular 
about the scale, seriousness and effect on health of each 
one. 
2Bo. The Committeeunderlines thefactthatout^ 
breaks of these diseases can lead to heavy losses, thus 
seriously affecting businesses in this sector. 
2.^. The committee recalls the comments set out in 
the ESC^s Opinion (CPS^9B90) of 2^ ^viarch 1990 
on theproposal for a Council Precision introducing 
afinancial measurefor the eradicationof Infectious 
l^aemopoietic necrosis (1^11^). 
^O^oOe^^^t^O^.^ 2Bo. Since the main seats of infection are outside the 
Community, the Committee reiterates the need to pay 
particular attention to imports from third countries of 
specimens, eggs and gametes. 
2.^. PheCommitteequestionstheeffectivenessof 
checks in third countries, in view of the reduced man^ 
power available for this task and the restrictions 
imposed by the present financial statement. 
2.7. Also required for the purposes of checking the 
spread of disease are (a)anew approach to the matter 
offish caught in the wild and (b) a more precise 
definition of conditions governing the marketing of 
ornamental fish. 
2.8. Phe Committee wonders whether the definition 
ofcontinental zones forhsh is too restrictive for those 
member States with rivers which flow through other 
countries or are linked by canals. 
2.9. In Anne^B,l,B), 2(b), the 20year minimum 
period coupled withthe other requirements are such 
thatan^approvedzone^couldbeautomatically declared 
toe^ist in only two^lember States. Apparently no 
account has been taken of existing zones which already 
meet the requisite health conditions and have been 
operating an official disease control system for several 
years. 
2.10. Phe Committee stresses that, in the runup to 
thelntemal market, there shouldbenorestrictions 
whatsoever on intraCommunity trade in aquaculture 
animals and products, provided these meetthe requisite 
animal health conditions.Pothis end, the Committee 
wouldsugge^tthatArticles7and8of the proposed 
Regulation be revised accordingly. 
No C 332/106 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 90 
2.11. The Committee considers that the Standing 
Veterinary Committee (SVC) has been given too much 
power in respect of matters which would warrant 
inclusion in the Regulation itself and institutional super­
vision. 
2.12. In view of their impact on future legislation 
and consumers in general, the Commission proposals 
to be implemented under Articles 26 and 27 should be 
referred to the ESC. 
3. Specific comments 
3.1. Article 4, first paragraph 
Since the objective is to prevent the spread of contagious 
diseases contracted by certain fish, it is recommended 
that 'if necessary' be deleted from line 3. 
3.2. Article 13(1) 
It is recommended that this Article be revised. It is 
essential to spell out the conditions governing the mar­
keting of ornamental fish. Stricter controls are also 
needed for wild species. 
3.3. Article 20(1) 
At one time IHN, to take one example, was unknown 
in the Community; it has spread from non-Member 
States. It is surprising that additional requirements such 
as those set out in Article 7 have not been established 
for imports of aquaculture animals and products sus­
ceptible to such diseases. For this reason, it is rec­
ommended that the official certificate indicate the place 
where aquaculture animals and products have been 
produced. 
Done at Brussels, 19 September 1990. 3.4. Article 26 
The two-day deadline referred to in line 5 to in line 5 
is too tight. There seems to be some disparity between 
the time allowed for the SVC to deliver its Opinion and 
the time allowed for the Council to discuss the matter. 
4. Annexes 
4.1. Annex A 
It is recommended that Infectious Salmon Anaemia 
(ISA) be added to list 1; mortality rates are high in 
species susceptible to this disease, such as Atlantic 
salmon (Latin: salmo salar). 
4.2. Annex I, B), 2) 
The minimum period should be 10 years. 
4.3. Annex B, U1,D,1 
In the first line, 'symptom' should be replaced by 'clini­
cal sign'. 
4.4. Annex C, 1, A, 1 
The sentence should read as follows: 
'Water must be supplied by a well, a borehole or 
other source, provided it is not detrimental to ani­
mal health conditions on the farm.' 
4.5. Annex C, I, A 
Birds are also carriers of disease. A new point should be 
added requiring farms to provide adequate safeguards. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE