Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION laying down the rules for the microbiological test by sampling in the establishment of origin for poultry for slaughter intended for Finland and Sweden
Date: 1994-12-06
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Finland, Sweden, animal disease, health certificate, meat processing industry, poultry

COMMISSION  OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

COM(94) 539 final 
Brussels, 06.12.1994 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

laying down the rules for the microbiological test by sampling in the establishment of 

origin for poultry for slaughter intended for Finland and Sweden 

(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORYMEMORANDUM 

In application of article of article  10b of Council  Directive  90/539/EEC of  15 October 
1990  on  animal  health  conditions  governing  intra-Community  trade  in,  and  exports 
from  third  countries  of,  poultry  and  hatching  eggsO),  as  amended  by  the  Act 
concerning  the  conditions  of  accession  and the  adjustments  to  the  Treaties  on  which 
the Union is founded^2), the Council  acting on a proposal  of the Commission  shall  lay 
down  the  rules  for  the  microbiological  test  by  sampling  of  poultry  for  slaughter 
intended for Finland and Sweden. This testing regards salmonella and in particular the 
serotypes not mentioned in Annex  II, Chapter III (A) of the Directive.  This should be 
done before the date of entry into force of the Accession Treaty. 

This proposal is presented with this objective. 

The  purpose  of  this  draft  Decision  is  to  fix  the  sampling  method,  the  number  of 
samples to be taken as well  as the microbiological  method for the examination of the 
samples.  The  proposed  method  is  based  on  the  opinion  of  the  Scientific  Veterinary 
Committee. 

The number of  samples to be taken is based on statistical  sampling schemes  allowing 
the  detection  of  5 %  contamination  at  a  95 %  of  confidence  level.  The  proposed 
microbiological  method  for  the  examination  of  the  samples  refers  to  an  international 
standard. 

It should be noted that the proposed provisions 

• 

• 

shall  only  apply  after  approval  of  operational  programmes  to  be  presented  by 
Finland and Sweden; 

shall  not  apply  for  slaughter  poultry  from  a  holding  subject  to  a  programme 
recognised as equivalent to the one applied by Finland and Sweden. 

This  draft  Decision  has  no  financial  consequences  on  the  budget  of  the  European 
Community. 

OOJl^LSOS.Sl.  JO. 1990, p. 6 
<2> OJ N° C 241,29. 8.  1994, p. 136 

PROPOSAL FOR A 

COUNCIL DECISION 

laying down the rules for the microbiological  test by sampling in the establishment  of 

origin for poultry for slaughter intended for Finland and Sweden 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 

Having regard to Council  Directive 90/539/EEC of  15 October  1990 on animal  health 
conditions  governing  intra-Community  trade  in,  and exports  from  third  countries  of, 
poultry  and  hatching  eggs1,  as  amended  by  the  Act  concerning  the  conditions  of 
accession and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the Union is founded^ Annex I, 
V, E, part 1, chapter 2, A, 4, (c)2, and in particular article  10b, 1, 

Whereas, in order to lay down the rules for the microbiological  test by  sampling,  it  is 
necessary  to  fix  the  sampling  method,  the number of  samples  to  be  taken  as  well  as 
the microbiological method for the examination of the samples; 

Whereas,  as  regards  the  range  of  the  test  and  the  methods  to  be  adopted,  it  is 
necessary to refer to the opinion of the Report of the Scientific  Veterinary  Committee 
of  10.6.1994; 

Whereas,  in  conformity  with  article  10b,  paragraph  2  of  Council  Directive 
90/539/EEC,  the provisions  provided  for  in this  Decision  must  take  into  account  the 
operational programme submitted by Finland and Sweden, 

1  OJN°L303,31.  10. 1990, p. 6 
2 OJ N° C 241,29, 8.  1994, p. 136 

1 

HAS ADOPTED THIS  DECISION: 

The sampling method is laid down in point 1  of the Annex. 

Article 1 

The number of samples to be taken is laid down in point 2 of the Annex. 

Article 2 

Article 3 

The  microbiological  method  for  the  examination  of  the  samples  is  laid  down  in 
point 3 of the Annex. 

Article 4 

This Decision shall apply from 1 January  1995 subject to the entry  into force  of the 
Treaty of accession of Austria, Sweden and Finland. 

This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 

Article 5 

Done at Brussels 

For the Council 

1.  Sampling  method 

AMHEX 

The  flock  must  be  sampled  within  14 days  before  slaughter.  The  samples  to  be  taken  shall 
comprise  pooled  litter  or  faeces  samples  made  up of  separate  samples  of  fresh  litter  or  faeces 
each  weighing  not  less  than  1 g,  taken  at  random  from  a  number  of  sites  in  the  building  in 
which  the  birds  are  kept, or,  where the  birds  have free  access to  more than  one  building  on  a 
particular holding, from  each group of buildings on the holding in which  birds are  kept. 

2.  Number  of samples to be taken 

The  number  of  sites  from  which  separate  faeces  or  litter  samples  are  to  be  taken  in  order  to 
make a pooled  sample shall be as  follows: 

Number of birds kept in a building 

number of faeces or litter samples to be taken in the 
building or group of buildings on the holding 

1-24 

25-29 

30-39 

4 0 - 49 

5 0-59 

60-89 

90-199 

200-499 

500 or more 

number equal to the number of 

units with a maximum of 20 

20 

25 

30 

35 

40 

50 

55 

60 

3.  Microbiological  method  for the examination of the  samples 

Microbiological  testing  of  the  samples  for  SalmoneHa  must  be  carried  out  according  to  the 
standard  method  of the International Standard Organisation, ISO  6579:1993. 

i-

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