2002/552/EC: Commission Decision of 9 July 2002 on restrictive measures related to vaccination against avian influenza in Italy (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2002) 2546)
Date: 2002-07-09
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, animal disease, export restriction, health certificate, health control, poultry farming, vaccination

L 180/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

10.7.2002

COMMISSION DECISION

of 9 July 2002

on restrictive measures related to vaccination against avian influenza in Italy

(notified under document number C(2002) 2546)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2002/552/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 parti-
cular, Article 10(4) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11
December 1989 concerning veterinary checks in intra-Commu-
nity 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,

(5)

(6)

However, the monitoring of vaccinated flocks should be
continued including the use of the serological test (iIFA-
Test), which had been approved by Commission Deci-
sion 2001/847/EC.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accor-
the Standing Veterinary
dance with the opinion of
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Having regard to Council Directive 92/40/EEC of 19 May 1992
introducing Community measures for the control of avian influ-
enza (4), and in particular Article 16 thereof,

1.
No live poultry that has been vaccinated against avian
influenza or hatching eggs, day-old chicks and any other
progeny derived from such poultry shall be dispatched from
Italy.

By means of Commission Decision 2000/721/EC of 7
November 2000 on introducing vaccination to supple-
ment the measures to control avian influenza in Italy
and on specific movement control measures (5), as last
amended by Decision 2001/847/EC (6), the Commission
approved the vaccination programme presented by Italy.

2.
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 accor-
dance with Decision 2002/552/EC’.

Article 2

The close monitoring performed in the poultry flocks
has not shown any virus circulation since the last
recorded case of
low pathogenic avian influenza in
March 2001.

In the area described in Annex I the monitoring of vaccinated
poultry flocks shall be carried out as laid down in Annex II to
this Decision. It shall be continued for six months after the date
on which vaccination against avian influenza ended.

The Italian authorities have informed the Commission
and the Member States that all vaccinations came to an
end on 16 May 2002.

In connection to the phasing out of the vaccination, the
restrictive measures for
live vaccinated poultry and
hatching eggs should be modified, and be lifted for table
eggs
and poultrymeat originating from vaccinated
poultry.

(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.
(6) OJ L 315, 1.12.2001, p. 61.

Article 3

Italy shall present a final report on the results of the vaccination
campaign and the monitoring programme by 31 December
2002.

Article 4

This Decision shall apply from the seventh day following that
of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Commu-
nities.

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

10.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 180/25

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 5

Done at Brussels, 9 July 2002.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

L 180/26

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

10.7.2002

ANNEX I

Area where vaccination monitoring shall be carried out

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

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

S. Martino Buon Albergo

area to the south of the A4 motorway

Lavagno

Colognola ai Colli

San Bonifacio

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

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

10.7.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

L 180/27

ANNEX II

Monitoring plan for low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) in the vaccination area in the Veneto Region

In all holdings with vaccinated poultry the official veterinarian has to take 10 samples from non-vaccinated sentinel birds
for serological investigation at least every 45 days.

The samples have to be subjected to the haemagglutination-inhibition test (HI) for H 7 antibodies. Indirect immunofluor-
escence assay (iIFA-test) may complement the testing.

All samples have to be submitted to the National Laboratory for Avian Influenza for examination.

In the case of seropositive findings, at least 10 sentinel birds have to be humanely sacrificed and a virological examina-
tion in accordance with Annex III of Council Directive 92/40/EEC has to be carried out.