Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the "Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 93/53/EEC introducing minimum Community measures for the control of certain fish diseases"

(2000/C 51/09)

On 29 September 1999 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 37 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 16 November 1999. The rapporteur was Mr Muñiz Guardado.

At its 368th plenary session (meeting of 8 December 1999) the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 113 votes to three with two abstentions.

1. Introduction

1.1. Council Directive 93/53/EEC introducing minimum Community measures for the control of certain fish diseases(1) defines the measures that must be taken by the Member States in the event of outbreaks of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA).

1.2. In May 1998, an outbreak of ISA occurred in Scotland. The implementation of these measures by the competent authority in Scotland revealed that improvements could be made to allow efficient control of the disease whilst safeguarding the interests of the infected farms as far as possible. Such improvements could be made by introducing a deadline for the compulsory withdrawal of fish from affected farms, to be determined by the competent authority in accordance with the local situation and in compliance with the general obligations contained in Directive 93/53/EEC. The present proposal aims to introduce such improvements by amending Article 6 of the Directive.

1.3. At the same time, it is believed that the control of an ISA outbreak can be more effectively ensured by applying a vaccination policy. At present, such a possibility does not exist. Therefore the requirements laid down in Directive 93/53/EEC must be adapted so as to introduce a procedure which allows vaccination and the definition of the conditions under which such vaccination may take place (amendment of Article 14 of the Directive).

2. Comments on the proposal

2.1. The Economic and Social Committee welcomes these measures and supports the proposed amendments.

3. More general comments and suggestions

While approving the proposed measures to tackle an emergency situation in specific regions, the Committee also wishes to offer some more general comments and suggestions regarding the development of a fish health policy in connection with the wider issue of food safety.

3.1. The Committee is concerned to note the occurrence of such epidemics (14 years ago in Norway and now in Scotland and Canada, as well as being widespread in Asia). At present there is no evidence of transmission to human beings, but the economic losses have already reached worrying levels (20 million dollars per year for Canada alone).

3.2. An integrated Community policy for these products is therefore necessary in order to guarantee high quality and safety levels on uninfected farms and in uninfected producer countries. This means rigorous checks on imports and movements of live fish and roe, and the taking of all necessary measures to stop the spread of the disease. It might also be worth establishing a code of good practice for farming of salmon and other aquaculture species, again pursuant to an EU product quality and safety policy.

3.3. It must be borne in mind that a vaccination campaign will be economically burdensome and that, even if it does help to prevent outbreaks of the disease, it risks perpetuating it where it already exists, with the creation of asymptomatic carriers which would be extremely dangerous if exported to uninfected countries.

3.4. The effectiveness of vaccines, also in preventing the birth of healthy carriers, should be tested in advance, and not only at laboratory level. EU research in this and related fields should be stepped up (as part of the fifth RTD framework programme, via the key actions on fisheries, the "cell factory", and health and food).

3.5. A comprehensive international databank should also be developed on fish health, coordinating all the information available from industry, the competent national laboratories and bodies, concerning diseases, pathogens and parasites, with a view to restoring public confidence and managing the risks satisfactorily.

3.6. Lastly, the requirement for the immediate slaughter, for marketing purposes, of all fish on infected farms seems justified in order to stop the disease spreading. However, the slaughter, gutting and destruction of the waste must all be subject to strict veterinary supervision.

3.7. A three-yearly report on the situation and distribution of the disease should be submitted to the ESC and to the European Parliament. The report should also detail any forms of antimicrobial resistance, as indicated in the ESC's own-initiative opinion on resistance to antibiotics.(2)

Brussels, 8 December 1999.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Beatrice RANGONI MACHIAVELLI

(1) OJ L 175, 19.7.1993, p. 23.

(2) OJ C 407, 28.12.1998.