2001/847/EC: Commission Decision of 30 November 2001 amending for the third time Decision 2000/721/EC to modify the Italian avian influenza vaccination programme and current trade restrictions for fresh meat originating from vaccinated turkeys (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2001) 3815)
Date: 2001-11-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, animal disease, fresh meat, poultrymeat, trade restriction, vaccination

1.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 315/61

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 30 November 2001

amending for the third time Decision 2000/721/EC to modify the Italian avian influenza vaccina-
tion programme and current trade restrictions for fresh meat originating from vaccinated turkeys

(notified under document number C(2001) 3815)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2001/847/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(2)

By Commission Decisions 2000/785/EC (6) and 2001/
627/EC (7) certain amendments were made to the vacci-
nation programme and to the movement restrictions
applicable to intra-Community trade.

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(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 of 19 May 1992
introducing Community measures for the control of avian
influenza (4), and in particular Article 16(a) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

The Commission has adopted Decision 2000/721/EC (5)
on 7 November 2000,
introducing vaccination to
supplement the measures to control avian influenza in
Italy and specific movement control measures.

(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.
(5) OJ L 291, 18.11.2000, p. 33.

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

Italian authorities reported that the disease situation for
avian influenza has improved and have requested further
amendments to the approved vaccination programme
and to the current trade restrictions. The use of a newly
developed iIFA-test, which shall allow a differentiation
between animals vaccinated with the H7N3 strain and
animals infected with H7N1 field strain, should also be
added to the currently applied disease control measures.

The capabilities of the newly developed iIFA-test have
been examined by a group of experts of the Member
States and the Community Reference Laboratory for
avian influenza and the test was considered a useful way
to differentiate between vaccinated and infected turkey
flocks.

The improved disease situation makes it appropriate to
modify the vaccination programme and current trade
restrictions for fresh meat originating from vaccinated
turkeys.

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

(6) OJ L 311, 12.12.2000, p. 49.
(7) OJ L 217, 11.8.2001, p. 16.

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1.12.2001

(iv) must be sent directly to a slaughterhouse desig-
nated by the competent authority and be
slaughtered immediately
arrival. The
animals shall be kept separated from other
flocks not complying with the present provi-
sions.

after

The fresh turkey meat shall be accompanied by the
health certificate laid down in Annex VI of Directive
71/118/EEC (*), which shall include under point IV
(a) of the certificate the following attestation of the
official veterinarian:

“The turkey meat described above is in accordance
with Decision 2000/721/EC as amended by Decision
2001/847/EC.”

(*) OJ L 55, 8.3.1971, p. 23.’

4. The Annex to this Decision shall be added as ‘Annex III’

to Decision 2000/721/EC.

Article 2

The Member States shall amend the measures they apply to
trade so as
to bring them into compliance with this
Decision.

They shall

immediately inform the Commission thereof.

Article 3

The provisions of
December 2001.

this Decision shall

apply

from 1

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 4

Done at Brussels, 30 November 2001.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Decision 2000/721/EC is amended as follows:

1. Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 1 shall be deleted.

2. The text of Article 1(4) shall be replaced by the following:

‘The use of the iIFA-test presented by Italy and the requested
amendments to the vaccination programme are hereby
approved.’

3. In Article 5 the existing paragraph 1 shall become para-
graph 1(a) and the following text shall be added as para-
graph 1(b):

‘1.

(b) By derogation from paragraph 1(a) fresh meat from
turkeys vaccinated against avian influenza must not
be marked in accordance with Article 5 of Council
Directive 91/494/EEC (1) and can be dispatched to
other Member States, provided that the meat comes
from slaughter turkey flocks which:
(i) have been regularly inspected and tested with
negative results for avian influenza as laid down
in the
vaccination programme.
Sentinel animals shall be inspected with partic-
ular attention. For the testing of:
— vaccinated animals,

the iIFA-test shall be

approved

used,

— sentinel animals, either the Haemagglutina-
(HI) or the iIFA-test

tion-Inhibition Test
shall be used;

(ii) have been clinically inspected by an official
veterinarian within 48 hours before loading.
Sentinel animals shall be inspected with partic-
ular attention;

(iii) have been tested serologically with negative
results at
the National Laboratory for avian
influenza by using the sampling and testing
procedure laid down in Annex III
to this
Decision;

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

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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ANNEX

‘ANNEX III

SAMPLING AND TESTING PROCEDURE

1. Introduction and general use

The developed indirect Immunofluorescence Assay (iIFA-test) is aimed at the differentiation between poultry vaccinated
with an avian influenza H7N3 inactivated vaccine strain and poultry infected with the field strain H7N1.

2. Use of the test for the purpose of dispatching fresh turkey meat from the vaccination area in Italy to other

Member States

Meat originating from turkey flocks vaccinated against avian influenza may be dispatched to other Member States
provided that:

Blood samples shall be taken by the official veterinarian:
— from each group of turkeys destined for slaughter, which are kept in the same building of the holding in question;
— within 48 hours before sending the animals to the slaughterhouse;
— from at least 10 vaccinated animals chosen at random from each group.’