2001/138/EC: Commission Decision of 9 February 2001 establishing protection and surveillance zones in the Community in relation with bluetongue (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2001) 340)
Date: 2001-02-09
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Greece, animal disease, export restriction, health control, health risk, sheep, veterinary inspection

21.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 50/17

establishing protection and surveillance zones in the Community in relation with bluetongue

COMMISSION DECISION

of 9 February 2001

(notified under document number C(2001) 340)

(Only the French, Greek, Italian and Spanish texts are authentic)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2001/138/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 2000/75/EC of 20
November 2000 (1)
laying down specific provisions for the
control and eradication of bluetongue and in particular Article
8(2) and (3), 9(1)(c) and Article 12 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

During the year 2000, evidence of bluetongue outbreaks
have been notified in France, Italy and Spain.

Decisions have been adopted to prevent the spread of
the disease by restriction of movements,
from the
affected regions of these three Member States, of animals
of species susceptible to bluetongue and their sperm ova
and embryos.

(3) With the view to maintain the necessary restriction to
movements it is necessary to demarcate protection and
surveillance zones corresponding to each situations of
these three Member States, in accordance with Article
8(2)(d) of Directive 2000/75/EC.

(4)

(5)

(6)

In Greece, the results of the epidemiological surveillance
implemented in accordance with Commission Decision
2000/350/EC (2) (13 000 samples) give a precise picture
of the situation and drive to the conclusion that a low
circulation of the virus is restricted to certain specific
regions of the Greek territory.

Greece has adopted since November 1999 (Ministerial
Decision No 398171 as
amended by Ministerial
Decision No 331765) national measures prohibiting the
dispatch to Member States and export to third countries
of animals, their sperm, ova and embryos of species
susceptible to bluetongue from its entire territory.

A specific surveillance program is implemented by
Greece in the frame of Commission Decision 2000/
71/EC (3) with the view to detect in real time possible
reinvasions from abroad.

(1) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 74.
(2) OJ L 124, 25.5.2000, p. 58.
(3) OJ L 24, 29.1.2000, p. 53.

(7)

(8)

(9)

It is however necessary to demarcate a protection and a
surveillance zone in Greece in the frame of Directive
2000/75/EC, taking into account the epidemiological
geographical and climatical data available.

It is also necessary to take into account the economical
impact of restrictions to movement and therefore it is
advisable to consider the whole territory of Greece as
protection and surveillance zones.

This Decision shall be reviewed at
the latest on 1
February 2002 and in particular concerning the situation
prevailing in Greece.

(10)

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Administrative units included in the protection and surveillance
zones relating to the outbreak due to bluetongue virus serotype
2 are listed in Annex I.

Dispatch from the territory corresponding to these protection
and surveillance zones, of live animals of species susceptible to
bluetongue and their sperm, ova and embryos, is prohibited.

Article 2

Administrative units included in the protection and surveillance
zones relating to the epidemiological situation in Greece are
listed in Annex II.

Dispatch from the territory corresponding to these protection
and surveillance zones, of live animals of species susceptible to
bluetongue and their sperm, ova and embryos, is prohibited.

Greece shall authorise movements of live animals of species
susceptible to bluetongue and their sperm, ova and embryos
between the protection and the surveillance zones. However, if
necessary, Greece shall establish particular animal health condi-
tions fo these movements from certain parts of its territory.

L 50/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

21.2.2001

This Decision shall be reviewed at the latest on 1 February 2002.

Article 3

Article 4

Decisions 2000/350/EC, 2000/598/EC (1), 2000/685/EC (2), 2000/715/EC (3) and 2000/734/EC (4) are
repealed.

This Decision is addressed to the French Republic, the Hellenic Republic, the Italian Republic and the
Kingdom of Spain.

Article 5

Done at Brussels, 9 February 2001.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 253, 7.10.2000, p. 47.
(2) OJ L 283, 9.11.2000, p. 44.
(3) OJ L 290, 17.11.2000, p. 51.
(4) OJ L 295, 23.11.2000, p. 35.

21.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 50/19

ANNEX I

Protection zone

France:

Corse du sud, Haute Corse

Spain:

Baleares

Italy:

Sardegna: Cagliari, Nuoro, Sassari, Oristano

Sicilia: Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Catania, Enna, Messine, Palermo, Ragusa, Siracusa, Trapani.

Calabria: Catanzaro, Cosenza, Crotone, Reggio Calabria, Vibo Valentia

Basilicata: Matera, Potenza

Campania: Salerno

Surveillance zone

Italy:

Campania: Avellino, Benevent, Caserta, Napolia

Puglia: Bari, Brindisi, Foggia, Lecce, Tarento

ANNEX II

Protection zone

Nomos: Arta, Evia, Larissa, Lesvos, Magnesia and Dodekanesia

Surveillance zone

Nomos: all parts not included in the protection zone