2001/246/EC: Commission Decision of 27 March 2001 laying down the conditions for the control and eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in the Netherlands in application of Article 13 of Directive 85/511/EEC (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2001) 1018)
Date: 2001-03-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Netherlands, foot-and-mouth disease, slaughter of animals, vaccination, veterinary inspection

28.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 88/21

COMMISSION DECISION

of 27 March 2001

laying down the conditions for the control and eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in the
Netherlands in application of Article 13 of Directive 85/511/EEC

(notified under document number C(2001) 1018)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2001/246/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 Directive 92/118/EEC (2), and in particular Article
10 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 85/511/EEC of 18
November 1985 introducing Community measures for the
control of foot-and-mouth disease (3), as last amended by the
Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in partic-
ular Article 13(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

In Article 13(3) of Directive 85/511/EEC provisions are
made for emergency vaccination.

The principles provided for in this Article require to
balance the decision on resorting to vaccination against
basic Community interests which must not be endan-
gered.

Following the reports of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth
disease in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands
and Ireland, the Commission adopted Decisions 2001/
172/EC (4), 2001/208/EC (5), 2001/223/EC (6) and 2001/
234/EC (7) concerning certain protection measures with
regard to foot-and-mouth disease in the respective
Member State.

In addition to the measures within the framework of
the Netherlands apply as a
Directive 85/511/EEC,
precautionary measure
the pre-emptive killing of
susceptible animals in holdings situated in close prox-
taking into
imity to infected or
suspect holdings,
account
the epidemiological situation and the high
density of susceptible animals in certain parts of the
territory.

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29.
(2) OJ L 62, 15.3.1993, p. 49.
(3) OJ L 315, 26.11.1985, p. 11.
(4) OJ L 62, 2.3.2001, p. 22.
(5) OJ L 73, 15.3.2001, p. 38.
(6) OJ L 82, 22.3.2001, p. 29.
(7) OJ L 84, 23.3.2001, p. 62.

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

(12)

Killing of animals for disease reasons must be carried
out in accordance with Council Directive 93/119/EEC of
22 December 1993 on the protection of animals at the
time of slaughter or killing (8).

Large scale killing of animals of infected or contami-
nated holdings may quickly exhaust the capacities for
safe destruction of carcasses and thereby unavoidably
delay the pre-emptive killing and this may lead to the
amplification and spread of the virus.

The competent authorities of
the Netherlands have
presented to the Commission a programme to employ
vaccination as an additional instrument to control and
eradicate foot-and-mouth disease in connection with the
pre-emptive killing of animals of susceptible species.
Although the use of vaccine in the framework of pre-
emptive killing is only useful where the expected delay
in killing exceeds the time required to build-up sufficient
it
immunity to reduce effectively the spread of virus,
should under no circumstances
the
progress in reducing the number of animals of suscept-
ible species around outbreaks.

compromise

In its report of 10 March 1999 the Scientific Committee
on Animal Health and Animal Welfare made recommen-
dations on the strategy for emergency vaccination
against foot-and-mouth disease, which must be taken
into account (9).

Recourse to any kind of vaccination will inevitably jeop-
ardise the foot-and-mouth disease status in terms of
international trade not only for the Member State or part
of its territory where vaccination is carried out.

The Commission prior to taking a Decision on emer-
gency vaccination must ensure that the measures to be
taken include at least those provided for in Article 13(3)
first to sixth indent of Directive 85/511/EEC.

It is the purpose of this Decision to define the condi-
tions under which the Netherlands may apply emer-
gency vaccination.

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

(8) OJ L 340, 31.12.1993, p. 21.
(9) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scah/outcome_en.html

L 88/22

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

28.3.2001

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 2

Article 1

For the purpose of this Decision the following definitions shall
apply:

1.

‘Pre-emptive killing’ shall mean the killing of susceptible
animals on holdings within a certain radius around holdings
placed under the restrictions laid down in Articles 4 or 5 of
Directive 85/511/EEC.

It is aimed at the urgent reduction of numbers of animals of
susceptible species in an infected area.

2.

‘Suppressive vaccination’ shall mean emergency vaccination
of animals of susceptible species in identified holdings situ-
ated in a defined area, the vaccination zone, which is carried
out exclusively in conjunction with pre-emptive killing as
defined in paragraph 1.

It is aimed at an urgent reduction of the amount of virus
circulating and the risk of virus spreading beyond the peri-
meters of the area without delaying the pre-emptive killing.

It shall only be carried out where the pre-emptive killing of
animals of susceptible species must be delayed for an esti-
mated time most likely exceeding the time required to effec-
tively reduce the spread of virus by immunisation for at
least one of the following reasons:

— constraints on the execution of killing of animals of
susceptible species in compliance with the provisions in
Directive 93/119/EEC,

— constraints on the available capacities to destroy killed
animals in accordance with Article 5(2) second indent of
Directive 85/511/EEC.

1. Without prejudice to Directive 85/511/EEC, and in
particular Articles 4, 5 and 9 thereof, the Netherlands may
decide on resorting to suppressive vaccination under the condi-
tions set out in the Annex.

2.
Before commencing the measures referred to in para-
graph 1, the Netherlands shall ensure that the Member States
and the Commission are officially informed on the details
concerning the geographical and administrative definition of
the vaccination zone, the number of holdings affected and the
time when vaccination will be started and accomplished and
the reason why the measures have been taken.

Subsequently the Netherlands shall ensure that the information
submitted in accordance with the first
subparagraph is
completed without undue delay with the details concerning the
killing of vaccinated animals,
in particular the number of
animals killed, the number of holdings affected, the time the
killing was completed, and the modifications of the restrictions
applied in the areas concerned.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 27 March 2001.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

28.3.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

L 88/23

Conditions for the use of suppressive vaccination in the control and eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in
application of Article 13(3) of Directive 85/511/EEC

ANNEX

Extent of the geographical area in which suppressive
vaccination is to be carried out

The vaccination zone shall be an area of up to 2 km radius around a holding
placed under the restrictions laid down in Articles 4 or 5 of Directive 85/
511/EEC.

The vaccination zone must be situated in the parts of the territory of the
Netherlands included in Annex I to Commission Decision 2001/223/EC as last
amended.

Species and age of the animals to be vaccinated

All animals of susceptible species independently of their sex, age and gestational
or productive status.

Duration of the vaccination campaign

The campaign must be completed within 48 hours.

Specific standstill of vaccinated animals and products
of vaccinated animals

The measures laid down in Article 4 of Directive 85/511/EEC shall apply to
holdings on which suppressive vaccination is to be carried out.

identification and special registration of the

Special
vaccinated animals

The measures laid down in Article 4 of Directive 85/511/EEC shall apply to
holdings on which suppressive vaccination is to be carried out.

An indelible mark must be applied to vaccinated animals at
vaccination.

the time of

Other matters appropriate to the suppressive vaccination

Adjustment of zones established in accordance with
Article 9 of Directive 85/511/EEC

A protection zone of at least 2 km and a surveillance zone of at least 10 km
around the vaccination zone referred to in point 1

Period for which the measures applied in the zones
established in accordance with Article 9 of Directive
85/511/EEC are maintained

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

6.1.

6.2.

The measures applied in the protection zone referred to in point 6.1 must be
maintained for at least 15 days after the elimination of all animals of susceptible
species and the completion of the preliminary cleansing and disinfection on the
holding where suppressive vaccination was carried out.

The measures applied in the surveillance zone must remain in force in the
protection zone for at least another 15 days.

The measures applied in the surveillance zone must remain in force for at least 30
days after the elimination of all animals of susceptible species and the completion
of the preliminary cleansing and disinfection on the holding where suppressive
vaccination was carried out.

Vaccination must be carried out by an official of the competent authorities.
Necessary measures must be in place to avoid possible spread of virus. Any
residual quantities of vaccine must be returned to the point of vaccine distribution
with a written record on number of animals vaccinated and the number of doses
used.

The inactivated vaccine to be used must be suitably formulated for the species
concerned and be effective against the virus type circulating. It shall be used in
accordance with the instructions of the manufacturer.

6.3.

Execution of the vaccination campaign

6.4.

Vaccine to be used

6.5.

6.6.

Elimination of all animals of susceptible species on
holdings where suppressive vaccination was carried out

Without undue delay and at least at the earliest possible moment when the
conditions referred to in Article 1(2) third subparagraph, first and second indent
do not longer apply.

Information on implementation of this programme to
the Commission

A detailed report on the execution of the programme shall be provided to the
Commission and the Member States in the framework of a Standing Veterinary
Committee before the lifting of the restrictions referred to in points 6.1 and 6.2.