2000/292/EC: Commission Decision of 6 April 2000 for purchase by the Community of bluetongue vaccine for emergency stock (notified under document number C(2000) 936)
Date: 2000-04-06
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: animal disease, purchase, sheep, storage, vaccine

15.4.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 95/39

COMMISSION DECISION

of 6 April 2000

for purchase by the Community of bluetongue vaccine for emergency stock

(notified under document number C(2000) 936)

(2000/292/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Community shall make

the
1.
purchase of 500 000 doses of bluetongue vaccine for emer-
gency use.

arrangements

for

The arrangements

2.
include:

referred to in paragraph 1 shall

— consultation of OIE recognised bluetongue reference labora-
tories on spread of bluetongue virus type(s) circulating in
areas considered to present a special risk to the susceptible
livestock population in the European Union,

— purchase of vaccines which provide protection against the
virus type(s) causing the greatest threat to livestock kept in
the Member States,

— storage of vaccines in such a manner that they can be
dispatched without delay to the area designated for vaccina-
tion.

Article 2

The maximum cost of the measures referred to in Article 1
shall be up to EUR 70 000.

Article 3

To meet the objectives of Articles 1 and 2 the Commis-

1.
sion shall conclude contracts without delay.

The Director-General of

2.
for
Health and Consumer Protection shall be authorised to sign the
contracts on behalf of the European Commission.

the Directorate-General

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 4

Done at Brussels, 6 April 2000.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June
1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (1), as last amended
by Council Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999 (2), and in particular
Articles 6 and 8 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

Bluetongue is an arthropod-borne viral disease of rumi-
nants which can cause great economic losses to livestock
production.

During 1998 and 1999 outbreaks of bluetongue were
recorded in Greece.

During 1999 outbreaks of bluetongue were recorded in
Bulgaria and in Turkey.

During 2000 outbreaks of bluetongue have been
reported in Tunisia.

Several serotypes of bluetongue virus are recognised.

During 1998 and 1999 the serotypes reported by
Bulgaria, Greece, Tunisia and Turkey were 2, 4 and 9.

The laboratories recognised by the ‘Office International
des Epizooties’ (OIE) as reference laboratories for blue-
tongue include a laboratory located in Pirbright, United
Kingdom and one at Ondersteport, South Africa.

The use of vaccine can be an important
combating the spread of bluetongue.

tool

in

No bluetongue vaccine is produced by the pharmaceut-
ical

industry based in the Member States.

For the protection of susceptible livestock some blue-
tongue vaccine
in stock by the
Community and be available for emergency use.

should be kept

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 160, 26.6.1999, p. 103.