2003/514/EC: Commission Decision of 10 July 2003 concerning health protection measures against African swine fever in Sardinia, Italy (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 2293)
Date: 2003-07-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Sardinia, animal plague, fresh meat, health certificate, live animal, transport of animals, veterinary inspection, veterinary legislation

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II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 10 July 2003

concerning health protection measures against African swine fever in Sardinia, Italy

(notified under document number C(2003) 2293)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2003/514/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

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 (1), as
last amended by Regulation (EC) No 806/
2003 (2), and in particular Article 9 thereof,

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 (3), as last
amended by Directive 2002/33/EC of the European Parliament
and of the Council (4), and in particular Article 10 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Commission Decision 95/108/EC of 28 March 1995
concerning health protection measures against African
swine fever in Sardinia, Italy (5) has been substantially
amended (6). In the interests of clarity and rationality the
said Decision should be codified.

(2)

African swine fever must be considered an endemic
disease in the province of Nuoro, Sardinia, Italy.

(1) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 13.
(2) OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29.
(4) OJ L 315, 19.11.2002, p. 14.
(5) OJ L 79, 7.4.1995, p. 29.
(6) See Annex I.

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

The disease situation is liable to endanger the herds in
other regions of Italy and of other Member States, in
view of trade in live pigs, fresh pigmeat and certain
pigmeat-based products.

Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on
expenditure in the veterinary field (7), as last amended by
Regulation (EC) No 806/2003, provides for the possibi-
lity of financial participation by the Community in the
eradication and surveillance of animal diseases.

It is the objective within the context of the African swine
fever eradication programmes presented annually by
Italy for approval to eliminate that disease from the
remaining infected areas of Sardinia.

The Italian authorities have taken legal measures to
prohibit the movement of live pigs, fresh pigmeat and
certain pigmeat-based products from the territory of
Sardinia. The adoption of those legal measures guaran-
tees the efficacity of the implementation of this Deci-
sion.

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

Italy prohibits the movement of animals of the family Suidae
from the territory of the region of Sardinia.

(7) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19.

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Article 2

1.
Italy prohibits the movement of fresh pigmeat originating
from any animal of the Suidae family from the territory of the
region of Sardinia.

2.
In derogation from the provisions of paragraph 1 fresh
pigmeat can be sent to areas outside the territory of the region
of Sardinia on condition that the meat in question:

(a) originates from pigs which have entered the territory of the
region of Sardinia as pigs for slaughter in accordance with
the provisions of Council Directive 64/432/EEC (1) or
Council Directive 72/462/EEC (2). The
for
slaughter have been transported directly from the port of
entry to a designated slaughterhouse. On arrival at the
slaughterhouse they have been slaughtered within 12
hours; or

said pigs

they comply with the requirements provided for
under points (i) to (vii) and signed by the competent
authority;

(ix) on arrival at the slaughterhouse, have been slaugh-

tered within 12 hours.

3.
The meat referred to in paragraph 2 shall be kept sepa-
rately from meat which does not comply with the conditions
of provided for in that paragraph.

Article 3

Meat consigned from the territory of the region of Sardinia
shall be accompanied by a certificate from an official veteri-
narian. The certificate shall bear the following words:

‘Meat conforming to Commission Decision 2003/514/EC
concerning health protection measures against African
swine fever in Sardinia, Italy.’

(b) originates from pigs which:

Article 4

(i) have been kept on a holding approved by the compe-
tent veterinary authority; the holding shall be situated
in the province of Sassari, Oristano or Cagliari;

(ii) have been kept for at least four months at the holding

of origin;

(iii) have been kept on a holding which is located at least
10 km distant from any outbreak of African swine
fever which has occurred in the last three months;

(iv) have been kept on a holding into which no pigs have

been introduced during the previous 30 days;

is

the

covered

(v) have been included in a pig population on a holding
testing
which
by
programme required under the African swine fever
eradication programme adopted by the Commission
within the context of the provisions of Decision 90/
424/EEC and no antibodies to African swine fever
virus have been detected within the last six months;

serological

(vi) have been included in a pre-movement serological
testing programme carried out within 10 days prior
to transport for slaughter where no antibodies to the
African swine fever virus have been detected; the pre-
movement testing programme for the consignment in
question must be designed to give approximately
95 % confidence of detecting seropositive animals at a
5 % prevalence level;

(vii) have undergone a clinical examination on the holding
of origin within 24 hours prior to transport. All pigs
on the holding of origin shall be examined and related
facilities must be inspected. The animals shall be iden-
tified by eartags at the holding of origin so that they
can be traced back to the holding of origin;

Italy prohibits the movement of pigmeat products from

1.
the territory of the region of Sardinia.

2.
In derogation from paragraph 1, pigmeat products may
be sent to areas outside the territory of the region of Sardinia
on condition that the products in question:

(a) have undergone treatment in accordance with the provi-
sions of Article 4(1)(a) of Council Directive 80/215/EEC (3);
or

(b) have been manufactured at a designated establishment and

only from meat which:

(i) complies with the provision of Article 2(2) and (3); or

(ii) have entered the territory of Sardinia as fresh pigmeat
in accordance with the provisions of Council Directive
64/433/EEC (4).

Article 5

Meat products referred to in Article 4(2)(b) consigned from the
territory of the region of Sardinia shall be accompanied by a
certificate from an official veterinarian. The certificate shall bear
the following words:

‘Meat products conforming to Commission Decision 2003/
514/EC concerning health protection measures against
African swine fever in Sardinia, Italy.’

Article 6

Italy shall present to all Member States and the Commission:

(viii) have been transported direct

from the holding of
origin to the designated slaughterhouse. The means of
transport shall be cleaned and disinfected before
loading and shall be officially sealed. The pigs shall be
accompanied by a health document certifying that

(a) a list containing name(s) and location(s) of designated
slaughterhouse(s) referred to in Article 2 and name(s) and
location(s) of designated establishment(s) referred to in
Article 4(2)(b) and approved by the Central Veterinary
Authority;

(1) OJ 121, 29.7.1964, p. 1977/64.
(2) OJ L 302, 31.12.1972, p. 28.

(3) OJ L 47, 21.2.1980, p. 4.
(4) OJ 121, 29.7.1964, p. 2012/64.

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(b) a report every six months which contains information on
number of pigs which have been subject to the measures
provided for in Article 2(2)(b) and the results from serolo-
gical testing carried out.

Article 8

Decision 95/108/EC is repealed.

Article 7

1.
Italy shall establish a National Coordination and Moni-
toring Committee. The chairman of the Committee shall be
designated by the Central Veterinary Authority, which shall be
in charge of the implementation of this Decision and the moni-
toring of measures to eradicate African swine fever. The
Committee shall:

(a) collect data on the surveillance activities carried out by

authorities of the region of Sardinia;

(b) have data-handling facilities;

References to the repealed Decision shall be construed as refer-
ences to this Decision and shall be read in accordance with the
correlation table set out in Annex II.

Article 9

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

(c) have rapid communication links with the region of

Done at Brussels, 10 July 2003.

Sardinia.

2.
The Central Veterinary Authority may introduce further
protection measures other than those referred to in this Deci-
sion if they are deemed necessary.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX I

Repealed Decision with its amendment

Commission Decision 95/108/EC

(OJ L 79, 7.4.1995, p. 29)

Commission Decision 1999/384/EC (OJ L 146, 11.6.1999, p. 52)

ANNEX II

Correlation table

Decision 95/108/EC

This Decision

Article 1

Article 2(1)

Article 2(2)(a)

Article 1

Article 2(1)

Article 2(2)(a)

Article 2(2)(b), first to ninth indents

Article 2(2)(b)(i) to (ix)

Article 2(3)

Articles 3 to 6

Article 7(1), first indent

Article 7(1), second indent

Article 7(1), third indent

Article 7(2)

Article 8

Article 9

—

Article 10

—

—

Article 2(3)

Articles 3 to 6

Article 7(1)(a)

Article 7(1)(b)

Article 7(1)(c)

Article 7(2)

—

—

Article 8

Article 9

Annex I

Annex II