2000/282/EC: Commission Decision of 12 April 2000 on technical measures to assist Japan and South Korea during a foot-and-mouth disease epidemic (notified under document number C(2000) 1031) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2000-04-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU stock, Japan, South Korea, foot-and-mouth disease, technical cooperation, vaccine

L 92/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

13.4.2000

on technical measures to assist Japan and South Korea during a foot-and-mouth disease epidemic

COMMISSION DECISION

of 12 April 2000

(notified under document number C(2000) 1031)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2000/282/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(10)

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 Regulation (EC) No 1258/99 (2), and in particular Article 8
thereof,

Whereas:

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral
disease of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and a large number
of wild animals.

time certain amounts of

The European Union by making available for a limited
period of
foot-and-mouth
disease virus antignes to Japan and to south Korea
enhances the prospects of preventing a major cata-
strophe and thereby reducing the danger
to the
Community.

(11)

(12)

The antigen made available to Japan and South Korea
will within a period of six months be replaced by an
equivalent quality and amount of antigen.

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

Foot-and-mouth disease can cause great economic losses
to livestock-producers.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

On 24 March 2000 Japan reported the presence of
foot-and-mouth disease in cattle, a disease which had
been absent from the territory of Japan since 1908.

On 2 April 2000 South Korea reported outbreaks of
foot-and-mouth disease.

The disease recorded in Japan and in South Korea is
caused by foot-and-mouth disease type 0.

Vaccine is an important tool in the control of foot-and-
mouth disease in particular in emergency situations.

Japan and South Korea have made a request to the
European Commission to borrow for emergency use
foot-and-mouth disease virus antigen to be converted
into vaccine.

The European Union under Commission Decision 93/
590/EC of 5 November 1993 for the purchase by the
Community of foot-and-mouth disease antigens within
the framework of the Community action concerning
reserves
vaccines (3),
purchased foot-and-mouth disease virus antigen which
included five million doses of 01 European strain and
five million doses of 01 Middle East strain.

foot-and-mouth

disease

of

Article 1

1.
The Community shall make arrangements for temporary
technical assistance to Japan and to South Korea in relation to
the occurrence of a foot-and-mouth disease epidemic.

The arrangements

2.
include:

referred to in paragraph 1 shall

— the temporary release of some of

the foot-and-mouth
disease virus antigen purchased and kept in accordance
with the provisions of Decision 93/590/EC,

— that the amount of antigen being released cannot exceed
50 % of any given virus strain antigen kept in stock,
— an acceptance by Japan and South Korea to deliver to the
Community within a period of six months antigen which as
regards quality and amount
to the one
obtained from the Community.

is equivalent

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 12 April 2000.

The Community antigen (vaccine) reserves purchased
under Decision 93/590/EC are maintained for reasons of
safety at different sites in France, Italy and the United
Kingdom.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19.
(2) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 103.
(3) OJ L 280, 13.11.1993, p. 33.