2003/459/EC: Commission Decision of 20 June 2003 on certain protection measures with regard to monkey pox virus (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 1953)
Date: 2003-06-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: United States, animal disease, health control, import restriction, rodent

L 154/112

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

21.6.2003

COMMISSION DECISION

of 20 June 2003

on certain protection measures with regard to monkey pox virus

(notified under document number C(2003) 1953)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2003/459/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 91/496/EEC (1) of 15 July
1991 laying down the principles governing the organisation of
veterinary checks and animals entering the Community from
third countries and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/
EEC and 90/675/EEC as last amended by Council Directive 96/
43/EC (2), and in particular Article 18(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

Monkey-pox infection has been confirmed in certain
parts of the United States of America.

Findings by the competent authorities in the United
States of America indicate the possibility that
the
contamination of those prairie dogs is linked to contacts
with rodents of non-domestic species (Gambian rat)
imported from the African rain forest zone where the
disease is endemic.

The known reservoirs in the endemic zone are squirrels
and rodents of non-domestic species in the African rain
forest. Unlike suggested by the name of the disease,
monkeys and primates are infected accidentally through
direct or close contact with infected reservoir hosts.

Monkey-pox is a zoonotic disease which is not present
in the European Union.

is appropriate to adopt

It
the necessary protection
measures rapidly at Community level with regard to
prairie dogs originating in or coming from the United
States of America.

It is therefore appropriate, in order to avoid the situation
encountered in the United States of America, to suspend
importation of reservoir species from the endemic zone.

It is however appropriate to leave the possibility for the
Member States to allow the importation for specific
purposes in the framework of Directive 92/65/EEC (3) of
13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements
governing trade in and imports into the Community of

(1) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56.
(2) OJ L 16, 22.1.1996, p. 3.
(3) OJ L 268, 14.9.1992, p. 54.

animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal
health requirements laid down in specific Community
rules referred to in Annex A (I) to Directive 90/425/EEC,
as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1282/2002 (4).

(8)

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

Member States shall prohibit the importation of prairie dogs
(Cynomys sp.) originating in or coming from the United States
of America.

Article 2

Member States shall prohibit the importation of rodents of
non-domestic species and squirrels originating in or coming
from third countries of the African sub-Saharan region.

Article 3

Derogations to the prohibition provided for in Articles 1 and 2
may be authorised by the competent authorities of a Member
State in the framework of imports between establishments as
defined in Article 2 of Council Directive 92/65/EEC.

Article 4

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

Article 5

This Decision shall be reviewed in the light of the evolution of
the disease situation in the United States of America.

(4) OJ L 187, 16.7.2002, p. 3.

21.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 154/113

This Decision is addressed to the Member States

Article 6

Done at Brussels, 20 June 2003.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission