2000/504/EC: Commission Decision of 25 July 2000 establishing transitional measures with regard to testing for bovine tuberculosis within the framework of Council Directive 64/432/EEC (notified under document number C(2000) 2259) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2000-07-25
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: animal tuberculosis, cattle, disease prevention, health control, veterinary inspection, veterinary legislation

L 201/6

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

9.8.2000

COMMISSION DECISION

of 25 July 2000

establishing transitional measures with regard to testing for bovine tuberculosis within the frame-
work of Council Directive 64/432/EEC

(notified under document number C(2000) 2259)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2000/504/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

(5)

carried out during the 30 days prior to dispatch outside
the herd of origin.

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

Having regard to Council Directive 64/432/EEC of 26 June
1964 on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in
bovine animals and swine (1), as last amended by Directive
2000/20/EC (2), and in particular Article 16(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

In accordance with Article 6(2)(a) of Directive 64/
432/EEC, bovine animals intended for intra-Community
trade must come from a holding officially free of bovine
tuberculosis and in addition in the case of animals more
than six weeks old, be tested with negative reaction
within 30 days of dispatch by use of an intradermal
tuberculin test carried out in accordance with the provi-
sions in Annex B point 32(d).

The test referred to above is not required where the
animals originate in a Member State or part of a
Member State recognised as officially tuberculosis free or
in a Member State or part of a Member State with an
approved surveillance network.

Certain Member States are not officially free from bovine
tuberculosis and have not yet accomplished the installa-
tion of a surveillance network. However, pursuant to
Council Directive 71/285/EEC (3) they had established a
system of tuberculin testing carried out by authorised
veterinary surgeons outside the herd of origin both at
approved dealers premises and assembly centres, during
the 30 days prior to dispatch to other Member States.

Since 1 July 1999, the practice to carry out the tuber-
culin testing for certification purposes outside the herd
of origin is no longer in line with Directive 64/432/EEC.
It appears appropriate to allow under certain conditions
until the surveillance network is approved in accordance
with Article 17 and in any case for a transitional period
of not more than two years, the tuberculin testing to be

(1) OJ 121, 29.7.1964, p. 1977/64.
(2) OJ L 163, 4.7.2000, p. 35.
(3) OJ L 179, 9.8.1971, p. 1.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1.
Derogating from the provisions of Article 6(2)(a), first
paragraph of Directive 64/432/EEC, Member States listed in the
Annex may authorise the intradermal tuberculin test required
for certification of bovine animals for intra-Community trade
to be carried out outside the herd of origin.

2. Member States using the derogation provided for in para-
graph 1 shall ensure that bovine animals older than six weeks
of age are only certified for intra-Community trade,
if they
fulfil the following conditions:

— they come from herds officially free from bovine tubercu-

losis, and

— they have reacted with a negative result as defined in Annex
B point 32(d) of Directive 64/432/EEC to an intradermal
tuberculin test, carried out during the 30 days period prior
to certification.

Article 2

Member States using the procedures for tuberculin testing
referred to in Article 1 shall ensure, that bovine animals for
intra-Community trade so tested are accompanied by an animal
health certificate as laid down in Annex F Model 1 of Directive
64/432/EEC amended as follows:

1. In the second indent of paragraph 3 in Section A the words
‘Article 6(2)’ are replaced by the words ‘Article 6(2)(b) and
(c)’.

2. In the table under the second indent of paragraph 3 in
Section A the row relating to the tuberculin test and the
word ‘testing’
the fourth column are
deleted.

in the header of

9.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 201/7

3. In Section C a new paragraph is added in arithmetic order as follows:

‘6. The animal had been tested for bovine tuberculosis with negative result during 30 days prior to

certification in accordance with Commission Decision 2000/504/EC as follows:

Test

Test not required for the following
categories of animals

Required
Yes/no (4) (5)

Date of testing

Tuberculin test

Animals less than six weeks
of age

’

The Decision shall apply until 1 May 2002 at latest.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 4

Done at Brussels, 25 July 2000.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

Member States applying the measures provided for in Article 1 of this Decision:

ANNEX

— France
— Ireland