2004/111/EC: Commission Decision of 29 January 2004 on the implementation of surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds in Member States, to be carried out during 2004 (notified under document number C(2004) 134)
Date: 2004-01-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, EU financing, animal disease, bird, poultry, research

L 32/20

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

5.2.2004

COMMISSION DECISION

of 29 January 2004

on the implementation of surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds in Member States,
to be carried out during 2004

(notified under document number C(2004) 134)

(2004/111/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), and in particular
Article 20 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

Pursuant to Council Directive 92/40/EEC of 19 May
1992 introducing Community measures for the control
of avian influenza (2)
regular monitoring of poultry
flocks and wild birds in order to assess the possible
presence of disease in these populations is not foreseen.

Experience has shown that certain strains of the avian
influenza virus, which are currently not covered by the
control measures of the Directive, have the ability to
mutate to highly pathogenic strains after having circu-
lated in the poultry population for some time.

This situation is liable to cause high mortality in poultry
and severe economic losses to the poultry industry,
which could be decreased by implementing a screening
system in the Member States to allow an earlier detec-
tion and control of such precursor strains.

The Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal
Welfare has issued an opinion on the definition of avian
influenza and the use of vaccination against avian influ-
enza. In this report it was recommended to change the
definition for avian influenza in order to include more
avian influenza strains for which eradication measures
are appropriate. Furthermore, surveys should be carried
out
to determine the prevalence of such strains in
different poultry populations. This should allow an esti-
mate of
the costs for the modified disease control
measures.

In November 2001 the Commission organised a sympo-
sium on the preparedness for influenza pandemics in
humans. It was stressed that surveys in various animal
populations should be carried out to better assess the
zoonotic impact of such infections.

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

Both the zoonotic aspect and the animal health implica-
tions underline the need of surveys for influenza in
animal populations.

In 2002 and 2003 all Member States have implemented
surveys for avian influenza in poultry and most coun-
tries have also carried out a screening in wild birds
according to Commission Decision 2002/649/EC (3).

The individual programmes and the Community's finan-
cial contribution to each of
these programmes have
been approved by Decision 2002/673/EC (4).

During these surveys the presence of different subtypes
of H5 and H7 avian influenza viruses has been detected
in poultry in several Member States. Although the
current prevalence of avian influenza viruses can be
it can be concluded that it is
considered rather low,
important to follow up these positive findings and to
continue the surveillance in the year 2004 to better
understand the epidemiology of
the avian influenza
viruses.

(10) Member States should submit

their programmes for
approval by the Commission so that financial assistance
by the Community may be granted.

(11) Article 32 of the Act of Accession of 2003 lays down
that the new Member States are to receive the same
treatment as the present Member States as regards
expenditure under veterinary funds.

(12) However, no financial commitment may be made for
any programme before the accession of the concerned
acceding Member State has taken place. Furthermore,
the monitoring of certain diseases in acceding Member
States can also be co-financed by other Community
instruments.

(13)

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

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. Decision as last amended by Regulation

(EC) No 806/2003 (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1.).

(2) OJ L 167, 22.6.1992, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 213, 9.8.2002, p. 38.
(4) OJ L 228, 24.8.2002, p. 27. Decision as amended by Decision

2003/21/EC (OJ L 8, 14.1.2003, p. 37).

5.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 32/21

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Member States shall submit for approval to the Commission by 15 March 2004 plans for the implementa-
tion of surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds.

The Community's financial contribution towards the measures referred to in Article 1 shall be at the rate
of 50 % of the costs incurred in Member States for sampling and analysing of samples up to a maximum
of EUR 600 000 for all Member States in total.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 3

Done at Brussels, 29 January 2004.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission