98/5/EC: Commission Decision of 9 December 1997 on the introduction of a pilot computerised animal-health management system for pig farms (Infoporc) in France (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 1997-12-09
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, France, action programme, computer system, health legislation, swine

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COMMISSION DECISION

of 9 December 1997

on the introduction of a pilot computerised animal-health management system
for pig farms (Infoporc) in France

(Text with EEA relevance)

(98/5/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Article 1

Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26
June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (1), as last
amended by Decision 94/370/EC (2), and in particular
Article 37 (2) thereof,

the French authorities have requested the
Whereas
Commission to provide Community financial assistance
for the introduction of a pilot computerized animal-
health management system for pig farms (Infoporc) in
France;

Whereas the system entails keeping a register of pig farms
and identifying livestock movements; whereas this falls
within the scope of Article 37 of Decision 90/424/EEC;

Whereas the aim of
introducing such a system is to
control animal-health measures by means of real-time
information on the health status of livestock and the
management of animal movements; whereas the introduc-
tion of the system will help in identifying and tracing
animal movements with a view to enhancing animal
health in the Community and is accordingly in line with
a priority objective of the latter;

Whereas the French authorities have entrusted the Asso-
ciation r(cid:130)gionale Interprofessionnelle Porcine de Bretagne
(ARIP) with the task of setting up this pilot computerized
system under the supervision of the public authorities;

Whereas in due time an assessment should be made of
the introduction of the system and the results for animal
health with a view to its extension;

Whereas the system’s organizational details and the rules
for the Community’s financial contribution should be laid
down;

Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary
Committee,

(1) OJ L 224, 18. 8. 1990, p. 19.
(2) OJ L 168, 2. 7. 1994, p. 31.

the purposes of
technical

For
responsible at
R(cid:130)gionale
(ARIP) represented by its chairman.

this Decision,
authority
level shall be the Association
Interprofessionnelle Procine de Bretagne

the

That body shall work under the general supervision of the
French Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

In particular:

— the Veterinary Health Directorates of C(cid:147)tes d’Armor,
and Morbihan shall be

Finist(cid:138)re,
responsible for the animal-health aspects,

Ille-et-Vilaine

— the Departmental Stockfarming Establishments of
C(cid:147)tes d’Armor, Finist(cid:138)re, Ille-et-Vilaine and Morbihan
shall be responsible for the technical aspects of identi-
fication,

— the Brittany Regional Directorate for Agriculture and
Forestry shall be responsible for the financial aspects.

Article 2

The authority responsible shall undertake to:

— devise, develop and introduce a pilot computerised
system for animal-health management of pig farming
(Infoporc) in accordance with the details and timetable
set out in Annex 1.

The measure shall commence on the date on which
this Decision is notified and shall end on 31
December 1998,

— submit a progress report by 1 June 1998 and a final
report by 31 March 1999 to the Commission and the
Standing Veterinary
Member
Committee.

States within the

Article 3

1.
The Community’s financial contribution shall be
20 % of the eligible expenditure, with a ceiling of ECU
200 000.

Expenditure as referred to in paragraph 1 shall cover

2.
the following:

— the acquisition and installation of computer equip-

ment (central servers and user work stations),

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— the purchase and development of software,

— the costs of setting up the system (general supervision,
system design and establishment supervision, training
and involvement of users),

— maintenance and final assessment costs.

Article 4

1.
The Community’s financial contribution shall be
granted to the French authorities after supporting docu-
ments are presented. The French authorities shall present
the supporting documents to the Commission.

Supporting documents shall be presented by 30

4.
June 1999 at the latest.

Article 5

A review of
the system’s contribution to the animal-
health management of pig farms shall be drawn up by the
Commission on the basis of the final report drafted by
the authority responsible, and presented to the Member
Veterinary
States meeting within
Committee.

Standing

the

A further decision regarding adjustments to the system
may be taken on the basis of that review.

The planned schedule for expenditure shall be as

2.
follows:

Article 6

This Decision is addressed to France.

— 1997: 35 %,
— 1998: 65 %.

Done at Brussels, 9 December 1997.

3.
At the request of the French authorities, an advance
of up to 40 % of the total Community contribution may
be granted. The request must be presented by the French
authority before 15 December 1997.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX I

The pilot computerized system was designed with a view to monitoring Aujeszky’s disease. It provides a trial
for the introduction of a standardized animal-health management system for areas with a high livestock
density.

The design selected for the computerized information system could serve as reference basis for the develop-
ment of database systems for livestock records and movements.

The project is in line with the measure for the identification of livestock and the tracing of livestock move-
ments with a view to monitoring animal health and helping to improve the animal-health status of holdings.

1. Contents

The selected option involves two main measures:

— keeping a register of pig farms,

— identifying livestock movements.

The aim of the two measures is to control animal-health measures by means of real-time information on the
health status of livestock and the management of animal movements.

A. Keeping the farm register

A common reference register is to be introduced. Each partner (veterinary services, laboratories, livestock
services, producer groups and veterinarians) undertakes to help keep the register up to date by forwarding the
information they have available by computer transmission. Rules on validation will be laid down. The infor-
mation is input via a suitable mask (identification of stockfarm, geographical location, type of activity,
animal-health information, etc.).

Access to the common register is subject to rules depending on the tasks and competence of each partner.

The computerized information system includes the link-up of sites (around 40) and a central computerized
administration system.

B. Identifying livestock movements

Ultimately the aim of the system is to identify all pig movements.

In the first stage, the emphasis will be on identifying piglet movements (from breeding establishments to
fattening establishments).

The computerized system for the stockfarm register is also used for the identification of livestock move-
ments. The input maks includes information relating to the farms of origin, the farms of destination and the
details of transport with respect to each movement.

2. Timetable

A. First phase: From the date on which this Decision is notified to 1 May 1998

This phase will cover:

— the finalization of software (application and communication),

— the purchase and installation of computer equipment (server centres and network sites),

— the purchase and installation of communication equipment (modems, etc.),

— the development of the common reference register,

— test on specific areas.

B. Second phase: 1 May to 31 December 1998

This will be an operational phase covering:

— verification of the proper functioning of the system,

— the rectifying of any shortcomings;

— an assessment of the technical aspects and the system’s contribution to the animal-health management of

pig farms.

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ANNEX II

FORECAST COSTS

All tasks will be subject to a call for tenders in accordance with the regulations in force.

1. Purchase and installation of computer equipment and purchase of basic software

A Central servers

B User work stations

2. Development of software

A Development of application software

B Corrective and development maintenance

3. Costs of setting up system

A General supervision

B Supervision of computer system establishment

C User training and involvement

4. Costs of maintenance and final assessment

A Maintenance

B Final assessment

436 000 FF

874 000 FF

Subtotal 1

1 310 000 FF

2 874 500 FF

361 000 FF

Subtotal 2

3 235 500 FF

885 000 FF

796 000 FF

400 000 FF

Subtotal 3

2 081 000 FF

400 000 FF

100 000 FF

Subtotal 4

500 000 FF

Grand total

7 126 000 FF