2000/721/EC: Commission Decision of 7 November 2000 on introducing vaccination to supplement the measures to control avian influenza in Italy and on specific movement control measures (notified under document number C(2000) 3257) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2000-11-07
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, animal disease, export restriction, health certificate, poultry farming, vaccination

18.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 291/33

COMMISSION DECISION

of 7 November 2000

on introducing vaccination to supplement the measures to control avian influenza in Italy and on
specific movement control measures

(notified under document number C(2000) 3257)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2000/721/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June
1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable
in intra-community trade in certain live animals and products
with a view to the completion of the internal market (1), as last
amended by Council Directive 92/118/EEC (2), and, in partic-
ular, Article 10(4) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11
December 1989 concerning veterinary checks
in intra-
Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal
market (3), as last amended by Council Directive 92/118/EEC,
and in particular, Article 9(4) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 92/40/EEC introducing
Community measures for the control of avian influenza (4), and
in particular Article 16 thereof,

Whereas:

Italy has during 1999 and 2000 experienced outbreaks
of avian influenza with devastating economic losses for
the poultry industry.

Italy has during epidemiological investigations for avian
influenza detected the presence of low pathogenic avian
influenza virus.

The low pathogenic virus can mutate to a highly patho-
genic virus and cause disease outbreaks.

limited area of Italy including specific movement restric-
tions.

Italy has authorised the use of an inactivated vaccine
against avian influenza for the implementation of the
programme. The vaccine is obtained from the Master
seed strain CK/Pak/95-H7.

The Commission shall establish a technical working
group to review the vaccination programme presented
by Italy.

introduce specific movement

Italy shall
related to vaccination of poultry
Community trade.

restrictions
and to intra-

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

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1.
The vaccination programme against avian influenza
presented by Italy is hereby approved and shall be carried out
in the area described in Annex I.

2.
The programme referred to in paragraph 1 shall before 1
November 2000 be reviewed by a technical working group
with the objective to improve the efficacy of the programme if
possible.

The low pathogenic virus circulates at present in an area
of Italy with dense poultry population.

3.
sion.

The working group shall be established by the Commis-

Vaccination can in this context be an effective tool to
supplement disease control measures.

Article 2

(6) Where vaccination against avian influenza is practised
movement restrictions for vaccinated poultry have to be
implemented.

(7)

Italy has presented a vaccination programme to supple-
the measures to control avian influenza in a
ment

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29.
(2) OJ L 62, 15.3.1993, p. 49.
(3) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 13.
(4) OJ L 167, 22.6.1992, p. 1.

The restrictions on movements of live birds, hatching eggs,
table eggs and poultrymeat into, out of and within the area
described in Annex I shall apply as laid down in the vaccina-
tion programme referred to in Article 1(1).

Article 3

1.
No live birds and hatching eggs coming from and/or
originating from the area described in Annex II shall be
dispatched from Italy.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

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Official Journal of the European Communities

18.11.2000

Live birds and hatching eggs coming from and/or origin-
2.
ating from the territory of Italy outside the area listed in Annex
II can only be dispatched from Italy, if no contacts or other
epidemiological
links in relation to avian influenza can be
established to a holding or a hatchery situated in the area
described in the Annex I.

Article 4

Animal health certificates accompanying consignments of live
birds and hatching eggs from Italy shall include the words: ‘The
animal health conditions of this consignment are in accordance
with Decision 2000/721/EC’.

Article 5

Fresh meat of poultry originating from the area described in
Annex I and fresh poultrymeat produced in slaughterhouses
located within the area described in Annex I must be marked in
accordance with Article 5 of Council Directive 91/494/EEC (1)
and cannot be dispatched from Italy.

Article 6

Article 7

Movements of live poultry and hatching eggs coming from
areas of Italy outside the area described in Annex II to other
Member States shall only be allowed following five days
advance notification to the central and local veterinary authori-
ties of destination. The notification shall be dispatched by the
competent veterinary authority.

Article 8

1.
Italy shall notify to the Commission and to other Member
States the date of the commence of the vaccination at least five
days in advance.

The provisions of the Articles 2 to 7 shall be enforced
2.
from the date of the commence of the vaccination and have to
stay in place for a period of time after the end of vaccination
which will be determined before its end.

Article 9

Italy shall at six-month intervals present a report containing
information on the effectiveness of the vaccination programme
referred to in Article 1(1).

Italy shall ensure that in the area described in Annex I:

Article 10

1. Only disposable packaging material or packaging material,
which can be effectively washed and disinfected, is used for
the collection, storage and transport of table eggs.

2. All means of transport used for poultry, hatching eggs, table
eggs and poultry feedstuff must be cleaned and disinfected
immediately before and after each transport with disinfec-
including the methods of use approved by the
tants
competent authority.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 7 November 2000.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 35.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Area where vaccination is carried out:

In the region of Veneto in the province of Verona the following municipalities:

ANNEX I

Roverchiara

Angiari

Isola Rizza

S. Pietro di Morubio

Oppeano

Palù

Ronco all'Adige

Albaredo d'Adige

Bonavigo

Cerea

Bovolone

Concamarise

Salizzole

Isola della Scala

Nogara

S. Giovanni Lupatoto

area to the south of the A4 motorway

Verona

area to the south of the A4 motorway and to the east of the territory of the munici-
pality of S. Giovanni Lupatoto

area to the south of the A4 motorway and to the west of the territory of the
municipality of S. Giovanni Lupatoto

S. Martino Buon Albergo

area to the south of the A4 motorway

Lavagno

area to the south of the A4 motorway

Colognola ai Colli

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

San Bonifacio

Caldiero

Buttapietra

Zevio

Belfiore

Arcole

Zimella

Veronella

Cologna Veneta

Pressana

Roveredo di Guà

Minerbe

Gazzo Veronese

Sanguinetto

Casaleone

Legnago

Boschi Sant'Anna

Erbè

Sorgà

Castel d'Azzano

Vigasio

Trevenzuolo

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The region of Veneto consisting of the following provinces:

ANNEX II

Belluno

Padova

Rovigo

Treviso

Verona

Vicenza

Venezia