2003/214/EC: Commission Decision of 27 March 2003 concerning protective measures in relation to avian influenza in the Netherlands (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 1102)
Date: 2003-03-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Netherlands, animal product, egg, food safety, health legislation, intra-EU trade, poultry, veterinary inspection

L 81/48

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

28.3.2003

COMMISSION DECISION

of 27 March 2003

concerning protective measures in relation to avian influenza in the Netherlands

(notified under document number C(2003) 1102)

(Only the Dutch text is authentic)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2003/214/EC)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

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 2002/33/EC of the European Parliament
and of the Council (2), and in particular Article 10 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16
December 2002 laying down the animal health rules governing
the production, processing, distribution and introduction of
products of animal origin for human consumption (3), and in
particular Article 4(1) and (3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

Since 28 February 2003 the Netherlands have declared
several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The infection with avian influenza subtype H7N7 has
affected several poultry flocks in an area called ‘Gelderse
Vallei’.

Avian influenza is a highly contagious poultry disease
that can pose a serious threat for the poultry industry.

In view of the high mortality and the rapid spread of the
infection the Netherlands took immediate action as
provided for by Council Directive 92/40/EEC (4) of 19
May 1992 introducing Community measures for the
control of avian influenza, as amended by the Act of
Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, before the
disease was officially confirmed.

Council Directive 92/40/EEC sets out
the minimum
control measures to be applied in the event of an
outbreak of avian influenza. The Member State may take
more stringent action in the field covered by this Direc-
tive if deemed necessary and proportionate to contain
the disease, taking into account the particular epidemio-
logical, animal husbandry, commercial and social condi-
tions prevailing.

Furthermore, all movements of live poultry and hatching
eggs within the Netherlands and their dispatch to other
Member States was prohibited.

The same prohibitions should apply to exports to third
countries in order to protect their health status and to
prevent the risk of re-entry of such consignments in
another Member State.

For the sake of clarity and transparency the Commission
has taken Decision 2003/153/EC (5) of 3 March 2003
concerning protection measures in relation to strong
suspicion of avian influenza in the Netherlands, as
amended by Decision 2003/156/EC (6), after consultation
with the Dutch authorities,
thereby reinforcing the
measures taken by the Netherlands and granting certain
specific derogations for movements of slaughter poultry
and day-old chicks within the Netherlands.

2003/186/EC (8)

By Commission Decisions 2003/156/EC, 2003/172/
EC (7),
the
measures provided for in Decision 2003/153/EC were
prolonged in view of the evolution of the disease and
amended as necessary.

2003/191/EC (9)

and

The currently available epidemiological information and
the first results of the surveillance programme, carried
out nation-wide in the Netherlands, suggest
the
occurrence of
the highly pathogenic avian influenza
virus appears to be restricted in the ‘Gelderse Vallei’.

that

In the light of the evolution of the disease, it is appro-
priate to further prolong the measures adopted under
Decision 2003/191/EC. However, a derogation should
also be provided for the dispatch of day-old chicks from
the Netherlands to other Member States under certain
conditions, unless they are originating from hatcheries
or holdings within the established surveillance zones.
For this purpose, additional certification requirements
should be provided for.

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29.
(2) OJ L 315, 19.11.2002, p. 14.
(3) OJ L 18, 23.1.2003, p. 11.
(4) OJ L 167, 22.6.1992, p. 1.

(5) OJ L 59, 4.3.2003, p. 32.
(6) OJ L 64, 7.3.2003, p. 36.
(7) OJ L 69, 13.3.2003, p. 27.
(8) OJ L 71, 15.3.2003, p. 30.
(9) OJ L 74, 20.3.2003, p. 30.

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(12)

(13)

Furthermore, movements of rearing turkeys within the
Netherlands but outside the restricted zones, and move-
ments of hatching eggs within the restricted zones,
should be authorised under official control.

Fresh poultrymeat destined for intra-Community trade
has to be marked with a health mark in accordance with
the health mark foreseen in Chapter XII of Annex I of
Directive 71/118/EEC (1), as last amended by Council
Directive 97/79/EC (2). In order to allow the marketing
on the Dutch market of fresh poultrymeat obtained from
poultry originating from the established surveillance
zones special provisions for its health marking shall be
laid down.

(14) Having evaluated the situation in close cooperation with
the Dutch authorities in order to protect the Community
poultry population and to avoid the spread of the infec-
tion outside the protection zone it is appropriate to
preventively empty the poultry holdings situated in two
areas particularly at risk.

(15)

The other Member States have already adjusted the
measures they apply to trade, and they are sufficiently
informed by the Commission, and in particular in the
context of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain
and Animal Health on the appropriate period for their
implementation.

(16)

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

1. Without prejudice to the measures taken by the Nether-
lands within the framework of Council Directive 92/40/EEC
applied to the surveillance zones, the Dutch veterinary authori-
ties shall ensure that no live poultry and hatching eggs are
dispatched from the Netherlands to other Member States and
to third countries.

2.
By derogation from paragraph 1 the Netherlands may
dispatch day old chicks, which have been hatched in a hatchery
situated outside the surveillance zones and at least 25 km away
from any suspected or infected hatchery or holding. The
hatching eggs must originate from a holding which at the day
of collection of the eggs and on the day of the hatch is situated
outside the established surveillance zones and at least 25 km
away from any suspected or infected hatchery or holding. The
flocks from which the day-old chicks derive of must have been
subjected to a serological survey with negative results. The
hatching eggs must be hatched in incubators or hatchers sepa-
rately from hatching eggs not complying with this paragraph.

The animal health certificates accompanying consignments of
day-old chicks from the Netherlands as specified above to other
Member States shall include the words:

(1) OJ L 55, 8.3.1971, p. 23.
(2) OJ L 13, 16.1.1997, p. 18.

‘The animal heath conditions of this consignment are in
accordance with Decision 2003/214/EC.’

The competent authority shall only allow the dispatch of day-
old chicks as provided for under this paragraph following 48
hours advance notification to the central and local veterinary
authorities of destination and shall dispatch the notification.

3. Without prejudice to the measures taken by the Nether-
lands within the framework of Council Directive 92/40/EEC
within the surveillance zones, the Dutch veterinary authorities
shall ensure that no live poultry and hatching eggs are trans-
ported within the Netherlands.

authority,

By way of derogation from paragraph 3 the competent
4.
veterinary
bio-security
all
measures to avoid the spread of avian influenza, may authorise
the transport from areas situated outside the surveillance zones
of:

appropriate

taking

(a) poultry for immediate slaughter,

laying
hens, to a slaughterhouse that has been designated by the
competent veterinary authority;

including spent

(b) day-old chicks and ready-to-lay pullets to a holding under

official control;

(c) hatching eggs to a hatchery under official control;

(d) turkeys from a rearing facility to a fattening holding under

official control;

(e) day-old chicks for dispatch to other Member States and

third countries in accordance with paragraph 2.

taking

authority,

appropriate

5.
By way of derogation from paragraph 3 the competent
bio-security
veterinary
all
measures to avoid the spread of avian influenza, may authorise
transport of live poultry and hatching eggs not prohibited by
Council Directive 92/40/EEC and in particular in respect to
movements of day-old chicks in accordance with the provisions
of Article 9(4)(a), (b) and (c), which shall be transported to
holdings within the Netherlands under official control.

Article 2

Fresh poultrymeat obtained from slaughter poultry originating
from the established surveillance zones:

(a) shall be marked with a round format mark in accordance
with the further requirements of the competent authorities;

(b) shall not be dispatched to other Member States or third

countries;

(c) must be obtained, cut, stored and transported separately
from other fresh poultrymeat destined for intra-Community
trade and for exports to third countries and must be used
in such a way as to avoid it being introduced into meat
products or meat preparations intended for intra-Commu-
nity trade or for export to third countries, unless it has
undergone the treatment specified in table 1(a), (b) or (c) of
Annex III to Directive 2002/99/EC.

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Article 3

Article 5

Without prejudice to the measures already taken in the frame-
work of Directive 92/40/EEC, the Netherlands shall as soon as
possible preventively empty the poultry holdings situated in the
zones described in the Annex.

The precautionary measures referred to in the first subpara-
graph shall be taken without prejudice to Council Decision 90/
424/EEC (1) on expenditure in the veterinary field as last
amended by Decision 2001/572/EC (2).

The Netherlands shall amend the measures which 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 Commis-
sion thereof.

This Decision is addressed to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Article 6

Article 4

This Decision shall apply from 28 March 2003 until 24.00 on
10 April 2003.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

Done at Brussels, 27 March 2003.

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19.
(2) OJ L 203, 28.7.2001, p. 16.

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ANNEX

Area A:

Buffergebied pluimvee Putten de Gelderse Vallei 24-03-2003

(a) Vanaf Strand Horst de Palmbosweg volgend in zuidelijke richting tot aan de Buitenbrinkweg.

(b) Buitenbrinkweg volgend in zuidoostelijke richting tot aan de Schaapsdijk.

(c) Schaapsdijk volgend in zuidoostelijke richting tot aan de Zeeweg.

(d) Zeeweg volgend in oostelijke richting tot aan Telgterweg.

(e) Telgterweg volgend in zuidelijke richting overgaand in Telgterengweg tot aan Bulderweg.

(f) Bulderweg volgend in oostelijke richting tot aan Volenbeekweg.

(g) Volenbeekweg volgend in zuidelijke richting tot aan de Oude Telgterweg.

(h) Oude Telgterweg volgend in westelijke richting tot aan de Watervalweg.

(i) Watervalweg volgend in zuidelijke richting tot aan de kruising van de Watervalweg/Telgterweg (Ermelo).

(j) Vanaf de kruising van de Watervalweg/Telgterweg (Ermelo), de Telgterweg volgend in zuidelijke richting tot aan de

Oude Rijksweg N798 (Putten).

(k) Oude Rijksweg N798 (Putten) volgend in zuidwestelijke richting tot aan de Stationsstraat.

(l) Stationsstraat volgend in westelijke richting overgaand in Zuiderzeestraatweg tot aan de Waterweg.

(m) Waterweg volgend in zuidwestelijke richting tot aan Hoornsdam.

(n) Hoornsdam volgend in westelijke richting tot aan het Nuldernauw.

(o) Nuldernauw volgend in noordoostelijke richting tot Strand Horst.

Area B:

Buffergebied pluimvee Wageningen in de Gelderse Vallei 24-03-2003

(a) Vanaf de kruising Werftweg/Veensteeg (De Kraats) de Veensteeg volgend zuidoostelijke richting tot aan Heuvelweg.

(b) Heuvelweg volgend in noordoostelijke richting tot aan Slagsteeg.

(c) Slagsteeg volgend in zuidelijke richting tot aan de Weerdjesweg.

(d) Weerdjesweg volgend in oostelijke richting tot aan Harsloweg.

(e) Harsloweg volgend in zuidelijk richting tot aan Lange Rijnsteeg.

(f) Lange Rijnsteeg volgend in oostelijke richting overgaand in Dijkgraaf overgaand in Lange Steeg tot aan Doctor

Willem Dreeslaan (N781).

(g) Doctor Willem Dreeslaan (N781) volgend in zuidoostelijke richting overgaand in Mansholtlaan overgaand in de
Diedenweg overgaand in Westerbergweg overgaand in Onderlangs overgaand in Veerdam tot aan de rivier de Rijn.

(h) De rivier de Rijn stroomafwaarts volgend tot aan de Rijnbrug N233 (Rhenen).

(i) De Rijnbrug (N233) volgend in noordelijke richting overgaand in Lijnweg (N233) overgaand in Cuneraweg (N233)

tot aan Zuidelijke Meentsteeg.

(j) Zuidelijke Meentsteeg volgend in noordoostelijke richting overgaand in Werftweg.

(k) Werftweg volgend in oostelijke richting tot de kruising Werftweg/Veensteeg (De Kraats).