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'
Date: 1999-12-08
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: animal disease, fish, health control, health legislation, import, veterinary inspection

C 51/30

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

23.2.2000

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 Mun˜ iz 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

3. More general comments and suggestions

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 safeguard-
ing 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

The Economic and Social Committee welcomes these

2.1.
measures and supports the proposed amendments.

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

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

The Committee is concerned to note the occurrence of
3.1.
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 move-
ments 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).

23.2.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 51/31

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.

Lastly, the requirement for the immediate slaughter,
3.6.
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. (1)

(1) OJ C 407, 28.12.1998.

Brussels, 8 December 1999.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Beatrice RANGONI MACHIAVELLI

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a European Parliament and
Council Directive amending Directive 64/432/EEC on health problems affecting intra-Community
trade in bovine animals and swine’

(2000/C 51/10)

On 18 November 1999 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under
Articles 37 and 152 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 Leif E. Nielsen.

At its 368th plenary session (meeting of 8 December 1999) the Economic and Social Committee adopted
the following opinion by 114 votes to one, with three abstentions.

1. Background

animals to humans. All Member States have not yet qualified
as free, or officially free, from these two diseases in accordance
with the Directive’s provisions.

Directive 64/432/EEC on health problems affecting
1.1.
intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine (1) has
been amended over 30 times, most recently by Directive
98/99/EC. (2) The Directive covers a range of serious contagious
animal diseases. The many amendments reflect the complexity
of the matter and the considerable animal health problems
generated by free movement of live animals within the EU.
The contagious animal diseases include tuberculosis and
brucellosis — zoonoses comparable with diseases such as
salmonella, listeria and E. coli which can be transmitted from

a

introduced

Directive 95/25/EC (3)

derogation
1.2.
exempting beef cattle from individual tuberculosis and brucel-
losis tests in trade between Member States with the same
health status. However, under Directive 98/99/EC, the Council
decided to set in motion a complete updating of the provisions
of the original Directive 64/432/EEC as from 1 July 1999.
These amendments repeal the derogation and allow more
Member States to apply for recognition as being officially free
of tuberculosis and brucellosis. Unless the animals concerned

(1) OJ 121, 29.7.64.
(2) OJ L 358, 31.12.98, p.107.

(3) OJ L 243, 11.10.95, p.16.