2004/665/EC: Commission Decision of 22 September 2004 concerning a baseline study on the prevalence of salmonella in laying flocks of Gallus gallus (notified under document number C(2004) 3512)
Date: 2004-09-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU financing, agricultural census, animal disease, laying poultry, zoonosis, zootechnics

L 303/30

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Official Journal of the European Union

30.9.2004

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 22 September 2004

concerning a baseline study on the prevalence of salmonella in laying flocks of Gallus gallus

(notified under document number C(2004) 3512)

(2004/665/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June
1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (1), and in particular
Articles 19 and 20 thereof;

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17
salmonella and
November 2003 on the control of
agents (2),
a
other
Community target should be established for reducing
the prevalence of salmonella in populations of
laying
hens by 12 December 2005.

food-borne

zoonotic

specified

the target, comparable data on the
In order to set
prevalence of salmonella in the populations of
laying
hens in Member States should be available. Such infor-
mation is not available and therefore a special study
should be carried out in order to monitor the prevalence
of salmonella in laying hens during an appropriate period
of time in order to take into account possible seasonal
variations.

Article 19 of Decision 90/424/EEC laid down that the
Community shall undertake, or assist the Member States
in undertaking,
the technical and scientific measures
necessary for the development of Community veterinary
the development of veterinary
legislation and for
education and training.

The study will provide technical
information necessary
for the development of Community veterinary legislation.
In light of the importance to collect comparable data on
the prevalence of salmonella in laying hens in Member
States,
financial
assistance to the Member States in the implementation
of the specific requirements of the study. It is appropriate

the Community

provide

should

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. Decision as last amended by Directive
2003/99/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17
November 2003 (OJ L 325, 12.12.2003, p. 31).

(2) OJ L 325, 12.12.2003, p. 1.

to reimburse 100 % of
the
laboratory testing, up to a maximum amount per test.

incurred for

the costs

Pursuant to Article 3(2), of Council Regulation (EC) No
1258/1999 (3), veterinary and plant health measures
undertaken in accordance with Community rules shall
be
the
European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund;
for financial control purposes, Articles 8 and 9 of Regu-
lation (EC) No 1258/1999 apply.

the Guarantee Section of

financed under

A financial contribution from the Community should be
granted in so far as the actions provided for are effec-
tively carried out and provided that
the authorities
furnish all
the necessary information within the time
limits provided for.

There is a need to clarify the rate to be used for the
conversion of
the payment applications submitted in
national currency as defined in Article 1(d) of Council
Regulation (EC) 2799/98 of 15 December 1998 estab-
lishing agrimonetary arrangements for the euro (4).

The measures provided for
accordance with
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

in this Decision are in
Standing
the

opinion

the

of

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Objective of the study and general provisions

1.
The Community shall undertake a technical study aiming
at estimating across the European Union the prevalence of
Salmonella spp. in flocks of laying hens (Gallus gallus) for table
egg production at the end of their production period (hereafter
the study).

(3) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 103.
(4) OJ L 349 of 24.12.1998, p. 1.

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The results shall be used to set Community targets as
2.
provided for in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003.

The study shall cover a one-year period commencing from

3.
1 October 2004.

For the purpose of

this decision ‘competent authority’
4.
shall mean the authority or authorities of a Member State as
provided for in Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003.

For the purpose of paragraph 1, the Commission and the
5.
Member States shall cooperate in accordance with Articles 2 to
6.

Article 2

Sampling frame

Sampling for the purpose of carrying out the study shall
1.
be organised by the Member States and shall be performed from
1 October 2004 in holdings containing at least 1 000 laying
hens. Where appropriate, smaller holdings shall also be sampled
according to the technical specifications referred to in Article 5,
focusing preferably on holdings with more than 350 hens.

In each selected holding, one flock with hens of

2.
appropriate age shall be sampled.

the

3.
Sampling shall be performed by the competent authority
or under its supervision, by bodies to which it has delegated this
responsibility.

At least 172 holdings shall be sampled in each Member
4.
than 172
in Member States where fewer
State. However,
holdings exist all holdings shall be sampled.
In all cases,
priority shall be given to the sampling of holdings with more
than 1 000 hens.

The detection of Salmonella spp shall be performed in
the

3.
accordance with
Community reference laboratory for salmonella.

recommended

the method

by

Serotyping

4.
Kaufmann-White scheme.

shall

be

performed

according

to

the

Article 4

Collection of data, evaluation and reporting

The national authority responsible for the preparation of
1.
the yearly national report on the monitoring of salmonella in
animals pursuant to Article 9 of Directive 2003/99/EC shall
the detection achieved
collect and evaluate the results of
the sampling frame
pursuant
referred to in Article 2, and shall report its evaluation to the
Commission.

to Article 3 on the basis of

2.
All relevant data collected for the purpose of the study
shall be supplied to the European Food Safety Authority, upon
request from the Commission.

National aggregated data and results will be made

3.
available publicly in a form that ensures confidentiality.

Article 5

Technical specifications

The tasks and activities referred to in Articles 3 to 4 of this
decision shall be performed in conformity with the technical
specifications that have been presented at the meeting of the
Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health on
15 July 2004, as published on the Commission website.

Article 3

Article 6

Scope of Community financial assistance

Detection of Salmonella spp. and serotyping

1.
Detection and serotyping shall
reference laboratories for salmonella.

take place in national

1.
The Community shall provide financial assistance for
certain costs incurred by the member States for laboratory
testing, i.e. bacteriological detection of Salmonella spp. and sero-
typing of the relevant isolates.

By derogation from paragraph 1,

in case the national
2.
reference laboratory does not have the capacity to perform all
analyses or if it is not the laboratory that performs detection
routinely, the competent authorities may decide to designate a
limited number of other laboratories involved in official control
of salmonella to perform the analyses. These laboratories shall
have proven experience of using the required detection method,
shall implement a quality assurance system complying with ISO
standard 17025, and shall be submitted to the supervision of
the national reference laboratory.

The maximum financial assistance from the Community
for bacteriological detection of
the relevant

2.
shall be EUR 20 per
Salmonella spp. and 30 EUR for serotyping of
isolates.

test

3.
The financial assistance from the Community shall not
exceed the amounts established in Annex I for the duration
of the study.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Article 7

Conditions of Community financial assistance

1.
The financial assistance referred to under Article 6 shall be
granted to each Member State provided that the implementation
of the study is in conformity with the relevant provisions of
Community law, including rules on competition and on award
of public contracts, and subject to the conditions provided for
in points (a) to (d) being respected.

(a) Bringing into force by 1 October 2004, as appropriate the
laws, regulations and administrative provisions for imple-
menting the study.

(b)

(c)

Forwarding a progress report covering the first 3 months
of the study, at the latest four weeks after the end of the
reporting period.

Forwarding a final report by 15 October 2005 at the latest
on the technical execution of the study accompanied by
justifying evidence as to the costs incurred and the results
attained during the period from 1 October 2004 to 30
September 2005. The evidence as to costs incurred shall
contain at least the information set out in the Annex II.

(d)

Implementing the study effectively.

A prefinancing of 50 % of the total amount may be paid

2.
at the request of each Member State.

Failure to comply with the time limit in subparagraph
imply a progressive and cumulative reduction of
for

3.
1(c), shall
the financial contribution by 25 % of
each delay of 2 weeks from the 15 October 2005.

the total amount

Article 8

Conversion rate for applications in national currency

The conversion rate for applications submitted in national
currency in month ‘n’ shall be that of the 10th day of month
‘n+1’ or for the first preceding day for which a rate is quoted.

Article 9

Application

This Decision shall apply from 1 October 2004.

Article 10

This decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 22 September 2004.

For the Commission

David BYRNE
Member of the Commission

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ANNEX I

Maximum Community financial assistance to the Member States

(EUR)

Member State

Austria (AT)

Belgium (BE)

Cyprus (CY)

Denmark (DK)

Estonia (EE)

Finland (FI)

France (FR)

Germany (DE)

Greece (EL)

Hungary (HU)

Ireland (IE)

Italy (IT)

Latvia (LV)

Lithuania (LT)

Luxembourg (LU)

Netherlands (NL)

Poland (PL)

Portugal (PT)

Slovenia (SI)

Spain (ES)

Sweden (SE)

United Kingdom (UK)

Slovak Republic (SK)

Czech Republic (CZ)

Malta (MT)

Amount

59 368

42 312

5 412

31 160

4 920

55 432

81 672

87 412

38 048

45 264

28 208

70 684

3 280

3 280

3 280

77 736

72 160

28 208

17 056

80 360

34 440

71 504

6 560

14 760

3 280

Total

965 796

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Official Journal of the European Union

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ANNEX II

Certified financial report on the implementation of a baseline study on the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in
laying flocks of Gallus gallus

Reporting period from ........................................................................................ to ........................................................................................

Statement on costs subject to Community assistance incurred for the study

Reference number of Commission Decision providing financial assistance:

.....................................................................................

Costs incurred related to
functions at/by

Number of tests

Total costs for testing incurred during the
reporting period (national currency)

Bacteriology for Salmonella spp.

Serotyping salmonella isolates

Certificate by the beneficiary

WE CERTIFY THAT

— the above costs were genuine and incurred in connection with the tasks defined in the Decision and were essential to

the sound performance of those tasks,

— all the documents supporting the costs are available for audit purposes.

Date:

Person financially responsible:

Signature