Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION amending Decision 91/666/EEC establishing Community reserves of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

By Directive 85/511/EEC the Council introduced Community measures for the control of foot-and-mouth disease. These measures, while principally following a non-vaccination policy, provide for emergency vaccination in cases the disease becomes extensive.

By Decision 91/666/EEC of 11 December 1991 the Council established the Community reserves of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines, and designated antigen banks to be situated at four different geographical sites.

Since the adoption of this decision two antigen banks designated for maintaining part of the Community reserve of antigen have relinquished their commitments to provide these services to the Community.

For various reasons the need may arise in future to relocate, perhaps on short notice and in any case without undue delay, the antigen reserves to appropriate establishments within the Community in conformity with the provisions in paragraph 3 of Article 3 of Council Decision 91/666/EEC. This because in conformity with these provisions, the antigen shall be stored at more than one site to ensure that in the case of technical problems liable to deteriorate the antigen in one bank the availability for vaccine production is guaranteed by the other banks.

The purpose of the present Commission proposal is to provide for the legal instruments to designate, as needs arise, additional premises for the storage of Community reserves of inactivated foot-and-mouth disease antigen by Commission Decision following Standing Veterinary Committee procedures.

Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION amending Decision 91/666/EEC establishing Community reserves of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 37 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,

(1) Whereas in accordance with the provisions of Article 13 (3) of Council Directive 85/511/EEC of 18 November 1985 introducing Community measures for the control of foot and mouth disease (1), as amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, a decision may be taken to introduce emergency vaccination in a limited area, in circumstances where slaughter of the entire herd may not be sufficient to eliminate the virus;

(1) OJ L 315, 26.11.1985, p. 11.

(2) Whereas by Council Decision 91/666/EEC (2) Community reserves of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines were established, which are based on stocks of concentrated inactivated antigen capable of being quickly converted into vaccine for emergency use and stored at designated premises,

(2) OJ L 368, 31.12.1991, p. 21.

(3) Whereas since the adoption of Council Decision 91/666/EEC two antigen banks designated for maintaining part of the Community reserve of foot-and-mouth disease antigens have relinquished their commitments to provide these services to the Community;

(4) Whereas in order to comply with the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article 3 of Council Decision 91/666/EEC the need may arise for various reasons to designate appropriate premises within the Community to which the foot-and-mouth disease antigen reserves shall be distributed or relocated for storage;

(5) Whereas, according to Article 14 (3) of Council Directive 85/511/EEC, the possibility for the Commission to propose to the Council to set up the Community reserves of anti-foot-and-mouth disease vaccines has expired since 1 April 1991;

(6) Whereas in order to allow immediate reaction to the needs to distribute or relocate the Community reserves of foot-and-mouth disease antigen for storage at different sites, it is necessary to amend Council Decision 91/666/EEC in particular as regards the procedures laid down for the designation of Community antigen and vaccine banks;

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

In paragraph 1 of Article 3 of Council Decision 91/666/EEC:

 the first and third indents are deleted,

 a new indent is added as follows:

"- any other establishment designated in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 10 of this decision."

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels,

For the Council

The President