2003/14/EC: Commission Decision of 10 January 2003 amending Decision 2001/783/EC as regards the bluetongue protection and surveillance zones and conditions for movements of animals for immediate slaughter (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2002) 5562)
Date: 2003-01-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU control, France, Greece, Italy, animal disease, disease prevention, sheep, slaughter of animals, transport of animals

11.1.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 7/87

COMMISSION DECISION

of 10 January 2003

amending Decision 2001/783/EC as regards the bluetongue protection and surveillance zones and
conditions for movements of animals for immediate slaughter

(notified under document number C(2002) 5562)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2003/14/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 laying down specific provisions for the control
and eradication of bluetongue (1), and in particular Article
8(2)(d) and (3), Article 9(1)(c) and Article 12(1), thereof,

(6)

(7)

Decision 2001/783/EC should therefore be amended
accordingly.

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,

Whereas:

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

In the light of the evolution of the bluetongue situation
in four Member States in 2001, Commission Decision
2001/783/EC of 9 November 2001 on protection and
surveillance zones in relation to bluetongue and on rules
applicable to movements of animals in and from those
zones (2), as last amended by Decision 2002/906/EC (3),
was adopted.

It is clear from the results of the epidemiological survey
carried out by Spain that the Balearic Islands are free of
bluetongue and therefore, at the request of Spain, they
should be deleted from Annex I B to Decision 2001/
783/EC.

situation of

As serotype 2 is the only serotype circulating in the
provinces of Isernia and Aquila, it is appropriate that the
epidemioloical
those two provinces be
considered as equivalent to the one prevailing in Latium
and Toscana. Therefore, at the request of Italy, those two
provinces should be moved from Annex I A, which lists
territories where serotypes 2 and 9 are circulating, to
Annex I C which lists territories where only serotype 2
circulates.

In 2002, during the activity period of the vector and
following the vaccination campaigns the virus circula-
tion has been as negligible in regions listed in Annex I B
than in regions listed in Annex I C, therefore the two
annexes should be agregated as they are now epidemio-
logically equivalent.

Provision should be made for movements of animals to
be slaughtered when the risk of contact between those
animals and vectors may be ruled out from the point of
entry in a non-restricted zone to the slaughterhouse.

Article 1

Decision 2001/783/EC is amended as follows:

1.

in Article 2 the fourth indent is deleted;

2. Article 5(a) is replaced by the following:

‘(a) Either no virus circulation has been demonstrated in an
area of at least 20 km surrounding the farm of origin
for at least 100 days before the transport;

or, when the vaccination is mandatory in an epidemio-
logically significant area around the localities of origin
of the animals with a coverage of more than 80 % and
the animals have been vaccinated for more than 30
days, a case-by-case risk assessment on the possible
contact between animals and the vectors during the
transport from the entry in a non-restricted zone to the
slaughterhouse is made, taking into consideration:

(i) the distance from the point of entry in the non
restricted zone to the slaughterhouse, and the ento-
mological data on this route;

(ii) the period of the day during which the transport
takes place in relation with the hours of activity of
the vectors;

(iii) the possible use of insecticides in compliance with
Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996 on measures
to monitor certain substances and residues thereof
in live animals and animal products (*).

(*) OJ L 125, 23.5.1996, p. 10.’;

(1) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 74.
(2) OJ L 293, 10.11.2001, p. 42.
(3) OJ L 313, 16.11.2002, p. 30.

3. Annex I is replaced by the text in the Annex to this Deci-

sion.

L 7/88

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

11.1.2003

The Member States shall amend the measures they apply to trade so as to bring them into compliance with
this Decision and they shall give immediate appropriate publicity to the measures adopted. They shall
immediately inform the Commission thereof.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 3

Done at Brussels, 10 January 2003.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

11.1.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 7/89

ANNEX

‘ANNEX I

(protection zones and surveillance zones)

ANNEX I A

Italy:

Sicilia: Agrigento, Caltanisetta, Catania, Enna, Messina, Palermo, Ragusa, Siracusa, Trapani

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

Basilicata: Matera, Potenza

Puglia: Bari, Brindisi, Foggia, Lecce, Taranto

Campania: Avellino, Benevento, Caserta, Napoli, Salerno

France:

Corse-du-Sud, Haute-Corse

Italy:

Sardegna: Cagliari, Nuoro, Sassari, Oristano

Lazio: Viterbo, Latina, Frosinone, Roma

Toscana: Grosseto, Livorno, Pisa, Massa-Carrara

Molise: Isernia

Abruzzo: Aquila

Greece: all nomos.’

ANNEX I B

ANNEX I C