12. 3. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 62/43 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on financial aid from the Community 
for the eradication of African Swine Fever in Sardinia (!) 
(90/C 62/15) 
On 14 November 1989, the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the abovementioned 
proposal. 
The Economic and Social Committee decided to appoint Mr Storie-Pugh as Rapporteur-General 
with the task of preparing its work on the subject. 
At its 272nd Plenary Session (meeting of 20 December 1989) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion by 56 votes to nil against and four abstentions: 
1. General comments 
1.1. Sardinia is one of the last reservoirs of infection 
with African Swine Fever within the Community. Out­
breaks in the western hemisphere have been contained 
usually by the slaughter of the entire pig population at great 
cost. Financial measures given in 1980 to aid in the 
eradication of the disease in Sardinia were unsuccessful. 
1.2. The Commission proposes the financial underpin­
ning and supervision of a plan to be drawn up by the Italian 
veterinary authorities, such a plan to be based upon the 
criteria which are laid down in the proposal. For this 
approach to be successful it has to be appreciated that the 
problem is as much a socio-economic one as a veterinary 
one. 
1.3. Such difficulties include: 
— a shortage of political will to eradicate ASF; 
— a failure to obtain the necessary cooperation of farmers 
in the past and other involved interests; 
— the systems of pig husbandry prevailing. 
1.4. The criteria laid down by the Commission are 
scientifically sound and have the support of the Committee 
but the scheme will only give positive results if: 
(a) The full cooperation is obtained by all parties concerned 
in Sardinia for example the pig breeders, the mayors of 
affected communes, the local sanitary units and the 
regional veterinary director; 
(b) To obtain the cooperation of the farmers it is essential 
that payments for compensation are in fact paid 
immediately the affected pigs are destroyed; 
(c) The ban on the free grazing of pigs should be removed 
and financial support given from the FEOGA for the 
restructuring of the pig industry if the pig industry in 
Sardinia is to have any long term value; 
(!) OJ No C 327, 30. 12. 1989, p. 54. (d) The plan should have central coordination rather than 
regional control, if it is to be carried out with vigour. It 
might be a positive step to create a strong specialist unit 
to coordinate the disease eradication measures; 
(e) The control of classical swine fever should not be 
allowed to complicate the issue. To obtain farmer's 
cooperation the role of vaccination should be examined, 
possibly allowed in the short term but eventually to be 
discontinued; 
(f) In the medium term there is a need for a proposal for 
horizontal legislation giving harmonized Community 
rules for ASF. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. Article 2 2. (a) 
It must be made clear in the text that the eventual aim is the 
systematic testing of all pig farms. 
2.2. Article 2 2. (d) 
The movement of pigs must be under efficient and strict 
veterinary control. 
2.3. Article 2 2. (e) 
Re-word as follows: 
'serological testing of all pigs at the time of their 
slaughter.' 
No C 62/44 Official Journal of the European Communities 12. 3. 90 
2.4. Article 2 4. 
It is important that under the term 'facilities' it should be 
understood that adequate funds are made available in 
particular for the provision of effective installations for the 
bleeding of pigs, since the whole scientific basis of the 
scheme is the serological testing of the population. 
Done at Brussels, 20 December 1989. 2.5. Article 3 
This is vital, but the identification system must be seen to 
be applied rigorously throughout the pig population. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 85/511/EEC introducing 
Community measures for the control of foot and mouth disease (*) 
(90/C 62/16) 
On 14 November 1989, the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the abovementioned 
proposal. 
The Economic and Social Committee decided to appoint Mr Storie-Pugh as Rapporteur-General 
with the task of preparing its work on the subject. 
At its 272nd Plenary Session (meeting of 20 December 1989) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion by 70 votes to nil against with two abstentions: 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Committee welcomes the Commission's proposal without comments and is in full 
agreement with a non-vaccination and slaughter policy, vaccination only being used as an 
emergency measure in extreme situations. 
1.2. It is considered that the elimination of foot and mouth disease vaccination is a practical step 
to rid the Community of this disease. It will be of cost-benefit, cheaper and safer to the Community 
since the only alternative is panvaccination. Certainly it is considered that the present system 
cannot go on if trade in animals is to be liberalized in the Community. 
1.3. The Committee notes that provisions will be made, by means of separate measures: 
— in respect to trade with third countries, 
— in respect to the establishment of vaccine reserves, 
— in respect to financial support concerning slaughter and destruction. 
Done at Brussels, 20 December 1989. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE 
(!) OJ No C 327, 30. 12. 1989, p. 84.