2004/34/EC: Commission Decision of 6 January 2004 amending Decision 2003/828/EC with regards to the movements of vaccinated animals from protection zones (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 5306)
Date: 2004-01-06
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: animal disease, disease prevention, transport of animals, vaccination, veterinary inspection

13.1.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 7/47

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 6 January 2004

amending Decision 2003/828/EC with regards to the movements of vaccinated animals from
protection zones

(notified under document number C(2003) 5306)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2004/34/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(3)

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 9
(1)(c), thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Commission Decision 2003/828/EC (2) on protection
and surveillance zones in relation to bluetongue and on
rules applicable to movements of animals in and from
those zones and repealing Decision 2003/218/EC (3),
was adopted in the light of the bluetongue situation
prevailing in the affected regions. That Decision demar-
cates protection and surveillance zones corresponding to
specific epidemiological situations and lays down the
conditions for providing exemptions from the ban on
the movements of animals in and from those zones.

A Symposium on bluetongue has been organised by the
Office International des Epizooties (OIE — World Orga-
nisation for Animal Health) on 26 to 29 October 2003.
One of the conclusions of this Symposium was that
animals may move from an infected zone to a free zone
without posing a risk of virus spread if they have been
to movement,
least one month prior
vaccinated at
provided that
the vaccine used covers all serotypes
present in the region of origin.

(1) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 74.
(2) OJ L 311, 27.11.2003, p. 41.
(3) OJ L 82, 29.3.2003, p. 35.

Taking into account
this conclusion, conditions for
movements of vaccinated animals provided in Decision
2003/828/EC should be amended in order to allow such
movements without requiring the cessation of the virus
circulation in the region of origin or of
the vector
activity in the region of destination. Nevertheless as a
precaution, this will be considered only for domestic
movements from areas where the vaccination has been
completed according to the programme adopted by the
competent authority of the Member State concerned.

(4)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee
on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Article 3(2) of Decision 2003/828/EC is replaced by the
following:

In France,

Italy and Spain, domestic dispatches as
‘2.
provided for in paragraph 1 shall be also exempted from
the exit ban by the competent authority:

(a) for the areas where the vaccination has been completed
according to the programme adopted by the competent
authority of the Member State concerned, as identified
in Annex I, if animals have been vaccinated more than
30 days and less than a year before the date of dispatch
against the serotype(s) circulating in an epidemiologi-
cally relevant area of origin.

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(b) for the areas where the vaccination has not been
completed according to the programme adopted by the
competent authority of the Member State concerned, as
identified in Annex I if animals have been vaccinated in
compliance with paragraph (a) and if, in addition:
(i) the surveillance programme in an epidemiologically
relevant area of origin has proved the cessation of
bluetongue virus circulation for more than 60 days
before date of dispatch; or

(ii) the vector surveillance programme in an epidemio-
logically relevant area of destination has proved the
cessation of adult Culicoides activity.’

Article 2

Annex I to Decision 2003/828/EC is replaced by the text in the
Annex to this Decision.

Article 3

This Decision shall apply from 2 February 2004.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 6 January 2004.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX

‘ANNEX I

(Restricted zones: geographic areas where protection and surveillance zones shall be established by the
Member States)

Zone A (serotypes 2 and 9, and in a lesser extent 4 and 16)

Areas where Article 3(2)(a) is applicable

Sicilia:

Molise:

Ragusa, Enna

Isernia, Campobasso

Abruzzo:

Chieti, all Municipalities belonging to the Local Health Unit of Avezzano-Sulmona

Lazio:

Frosinone, Latina

Campania:

all Municipalities belonging to the Local Health Unit of Caserta 1

Basilicata:

Matera, and Potenza( with the exception of all the Municipalities belonging to the Local Health Unit of
Venosa)

Areas where Article 3(2)(a) is not applicable

Sicilia:

Calabria:

Agrigento, Catania, Caltanissetta, Palermo, Messina, Siracusa e Trapani

Catanzaro, Cosenza, Crotone, Reggio Calabria, Vibo Valentia

Basilicata:

Potenza (all Municipalities belonging to the Local Health Unit of Venosa)

Puglia:

Foggia, Bari, Lecce, Taranto, Brindisi

Campania:

Caserta (with the exception of all Municipalities belonging to the Local Health Unit of Caserta 1), Bene-
vento, Avellino, Napoli, Salerno.

Zone B (serotype 2)

Areas where Article 3(2)(a) is applicable

Lazio:

Viterbo, Roma, Rieti (Municipalities of Ascrea, Belmonte in Sabina, Cantalupo in Sabina, Casaprota,
Casperia, Castel di Tora, Castelnuovo di Farfa, Colle di Tora, Collevecchio, Concerviano, Configni, Conti-
gliano, Cottanello, Fara in Sabina, Forano, Frasso, Abino, Greccio, Longone Sabino, Magliano Sabina,
Mompeo, Montasola, Montebuono, Monteleone Sabino, Montenero Sabino, Monte San Giovanni
in
Sabina, Montopoli di Sabina, Orvinio, Poggio Catino, Poggio Mirteto, Poggio Moiano, Poggio Nativo,
Poggio San Lorenzo, Pozzaglia Sabina, Rieti, Roccantica, Rocca Sinibalda, Salisano, Scandriglia, Selci,
Stimigliano, Tarano, Toffia, Torricella in Sabina, Torri in Sabina, Vacone).

Toscana:

Umbria:

Massa Carrara, Pisa, Grosseto, Livorno

Terni

Areas where Article 3(2)(a) is not applicable

Abruzzo:

Lazio:

L'Aquila with the exception of all Municipalities belonging to the Local Health Unit of Avezzano-
Sulmona

Rieti (Municipalities of Accumoli, Amatrice, Antrodoco, Borbona, Borgorose, Borgo Velino, Cantalice,
Castel Sant'angelo, Cittaducale, Cittareale, Collalto Sabino, Collegiove, Colli sul Velino, Fiamignano,
Labro, Leonessa, Marcetelli, Micigliano, Morro Reatino, Nespolo, Paganico, Pescorocchiano, Petrella
Salto, Poggio Bustone, Posta, Rivodutri, Turania, Varco Sabino).

Umbria:

Marche:

Perugia

Ascoli Piceno, Macerata.

Areas where Article 3(2)(a) is applicable

France:

Corse du sud, Haute Corse

Spain:

Islas Baleares

Zone C (serotypes 2 and 4)

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Areas where Article 3(2)(a) is not applicable

Italy:
Sardinia:

Cagliari, Nuoro, Sassari, Oristano.

The entire Greek territory with the exception of prefectorates listed in Zone E.

Zone D

Dodekanisi, Samos, Chios and Lesvos prefectorates.’

Zone E