2002/1003/EC: Commission Decision of 18 December 2002 laying down minimum requirements for a survey of prion protein genotypes of sheep breeds (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2002) 5102)
Date: 2002-12-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: bovine spongiform encephalopathy, genetics, health control, research method, sheep, veterinary inspection

24.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 349/105

laying down minimum requirements for a survey of prion protein genotypes of sheep breeds

COMMISSION DECISION

of 18 December 2002

(notified under document number C(2002) 5102)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2002/1003/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of
the
European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 laying
down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of
certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (1), as last
amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1494/2002 (2),
and in particular Article 23 thereof,

Whereas:

(5)

(6)

The Commission will propose to the Council and Parlia-
ment an amendment to Regulation (EC) 999/2001 to
provide a legal basis in that Regulation for the measures
contained in this Decision. In the meantime, it is appro-
priate to adopt this Decision as a transitional measure.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Definitions

Scrapie poses a considerable animal health problem
within the Community's ovine and caprine population.

For the purposes of this Decision the definitions set out in
Annex I shall apply.

There is no validated routine diagnostic method to
distinguish between Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE) and scrapie infection in ovine and caprine animals.
BSE infection has not been proven to exist in ovine and
caprine animals under natural conditions. However,
there is some uncertainty as to whether BSE may have
infected the ovine and caprine population and may still
be present in that population. Accordingly transmissible
spongiform encephalopathy (TSE)
infections in ovine
and caprine animals also pose a potential risk to public
health.

Article 2

Survey of prion protein genotypes of sheep breeds

By 1 July 2003, each Member State shall complete a survey of
the prion protein genotype of each of its sheep breeds which
are native, or form a significant population in its territory.

The survey shall be carried out using the parameters set out in
Annex II.

Research has shown that certain prion protein genotypes
in sheep confer resistance to scrapie. Evidence to date
indicates that a similar genetically determined resistance
to BSE exists in sheep when challenged orally with BSE
infection under experimental conditions.

The opinion of the Scientific Steering Committee (SSC)
of 4 and 5 April 2002 on safe sourcing of small rumi-
nant materials laid down guidelines for the main points
in a breeding programme for TSE resistance in sheep.
One requirement is an approximation of the frequency
of ARR/ARR sheep for each important breed.
is
appropriate to conduct a survey of sheep breeds in the
Member States to obtain this information.

It

(1) OJ L 147, 31.5.2001, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 225, 22.8.2002, p. 3.

Article 3

Reports to be provided to the Commission by the Member
States

Member States shall provide the Commission with a report on
the survey as provided for in Article 2 by 1 October 2003.

Article 4

Summary of reports by the Commission to the Member
States

The Commission shall present to the Member States a summary
of the reports it receives under Article 3, within three months
of the deadline for the receipt of the reports.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

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Official Journal of the European Communities

24.12.2002

Article 5

Addressees

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 18 December 2002.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

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Official Journal of the European Communities

L 349/107

ANNEX I

Definitions

1. The allele shall be defined by reference to the amino acids encoded by codons 136, 154 and 171 of the prion protein

gene.

Each allele shall be denoted by a three-letter code as outlined in the following table:

Allele

ARR

AHQ

ARH

ARQ

VRQ

Amino acid encoded at position
136

Amino acid encoded at position
154

Amino acid encoded at position
171

Alanine

Alanine

Alanine

Alanine

Valine

Arginine

Histidine

Arginine

Arginine

Arginine

Arginine

Glutamine

Histidine

Glutamine

Glutamine

2. The genotype shall be defined by the combination of two alleles. Where it is not possible to distinguish between the

ARQ and ARH alleles, a collective term may be used to describe these two alleles.

3. A flock of high genetic merit shall be defined as:

(a) a flock of pure-bred breeding sheep as defined in Council Directive 89/361/EEC concerning pure-bred breeding

sheep and goats, or

(b) any other flock of sheep which is recognised by the competent authority of the Member State to be of high
importance in the marketing or production of breeding sheep and which the competent authority of the Member
State wishes to include in the survey,

of the same breed, kept on a single holding and/or under the responsibility of a single keeper. The definition shall
include rams used for artificial insemination, but shall not include rams which are kept solely for the purpose of
breeding with commercial ewes.

ANNEX II

Parameters for a survey of prion protein genotypes of sheep from flocks of high genetic merit

1. Sampling shall be carried out on sheep from flocks of high genetic merit, as defined in Annex I.

2. At least 50 samples shall be collected from each breed.

3. Samples shall be chosen so as to be representative of the entire breed in the Member State.

4. Where the sampling regime described in points 2 and 3 reveals no animals within a breed carrying the ARR allele,

the breed shall be subjected to intensified sampling.