2003/811/EC: Commission Decision of 17 November 2003 establishing a project for standard sera for the diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease and the financial contribution by the Community for the year 2003
Date: 2003-11-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, financial aid, foot-and-mouth disease, health control, livestock

L 305/16

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

22.11.2003

COMMISSION DECISION

of 17 November 2003

establishing a project for standard sera for the diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease and the finan-
cial contribution by the Community for the year 2003

(2003/811/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June
1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (1), as last amended
by Regulation (EC) No 806/2003 (2), and in particular Article
20 thereof,

(5)

(6)

The financial resources necessary for the Community
contribution to the production, storage and distribution
of a first batch of standard sera for the diagnosis of foot-
and-mouth disease in 2003 should therefore be engaged.

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)

Article 19 of Decision 90/424/EEC requires the Commu-
nity to undertake the technical and scientific measures
necessary for the development of veterinary legislation.

Since 1992, the Community has followed a strict policy
of prohibiting prophylactic vaccination with regard to
foot-and-mouth disease. Therefore,
livestock in the
Community are highly receptive to the foot-and-mouth
disease virus. The epidemiological situation in some
third countries neighbouring or
trading with the
Community makes it necessary to provide for measures
allowing rapid diagnosis of the disease, emergency vacci-
nation and subsequent testing of vaccinated animals to
identify infected herds.

To carry out serological tests, it is necessary to make
available standard reference sera to be used in laboratory
tests for the detection of antibodies to both structural
and non-structural proteins of
foot-and-mouth
disease virus.

the

for

In accordance with Council Directive 2003/85/EC of 29
the
September 2003 on Community measures
control of foot-and-mouth disease (3) repealing Directive
85/511/EEC and Decisions 89/531/EEC and 91/665/EEC
and amending Directive 92/46/EEC, serological surveil-
lance carried out in the aftermath of an outbreak is a
precondition for the withdrawal of restrictions imposed
on trade in live animals of susceptible species and their
products. Making standard sera available may conse-
quently contribute to the development of Community
legislation on foot-and-mouth disease.

Article 1

The Community shall finance a project for the production,
storage and distribution of a first batch of standard sera to be
used in assays for the detection of antibodies against structural
and non-structural proteins of different serotypes of the foot-
and-mouth disease virus in different species of livestock suscep-
tible to foot-and-mouth disease.

Article 2

The measures provided for in Article 1 shall be carried out by
the body or institution designated by the Commission to coor-
dinate the scientific and technical collaboration of laboratories
and institutions.

Article 3

The maximum amount of Community financing for the project
provided for in Article 1 shall not exceed EUR 800 000.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 4

Done at Brussels, 17 November 2003.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19.
(2) OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1.
(3) Not yet published in the Official Journal.