2004/666/EC: Commission Decision of 29 September 2004 on introducing vaccination to supplement the measures to control infections with low pathogenic avian influenza in Italy and on specific movement control measures and repealing Decision 2002/975/EC (notified under document number C(2004) 3581)(Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2004-09-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, animal disease, export restriction, poultrymeat, vaccination, veterinary legislation

30.9.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 303/35

COMMISSION DECISION

of 29 September 2004

on introducing vaccination to supplement the measures to control infections with low pathogenic
avian influenza in Italy and on specific movement control measures and repealing Decision
2002/975/EC

(notified under document number C(2004) 3581)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2004/666/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

subtype H7N3 had occurred in the regions of Veneto and
Lombardia and that the disease was spreading quickly.

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11
in intra-
December 1989 concerning
Community trade with a view to the completion of
the
internal market (1), and in particular, Article 9(4) thereof,

veterinary

checks

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 (2), and in
particular, Article 10(4) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 92/40/EEC of 19 May 1992
introducing Community measures for the control of avian
influenza (3), and in particular Article 16 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16
December 2002 laying down animal health rules governing
the production, processing, distribution and introduction of
products of animal origin for human consumption (4), and in
particular Article 13(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

In October 2002, Italy reported to the Commission that
infections with low pathogenic avian influenza virus of

(1) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 13. Directive as last amended by Directive
2004/41/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L
157, 30.4.2004, p. 33).

(2) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29. Directive as last amended by Directive
2002/33/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L
315, 19.11.2002, p. 14).

(3) OJ L 167, 22.6.1992, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Regulation

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

(4) OJ L 18, 23.1.2003, p. 11.

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

Italy took immediate action including stamping out of
infected poultry flocks to control the propagation of the
infection. As a supplementary measure the Italian autho-
vaccination
rities
programme against avian influenza for at
least 18
months in order to avoid the further spread of infection.

requested

approval

also

for

a

approved

to control

vaccination

programme was

vaccination to supplement

The
by
Commission Decision 2002/975/EC, of 12 December
2002 introducing
the
measures
infections with low pathogenic
avian influenza in Italy and on specific movement
control measures (5), which lays
rules
concerning vaccination against avian influenza in a
defined geographical area. The Decision also includes
specific control measures such as movement restrictions
on live poultry, hatching and table eggs
intra-
Community trade.

down the

for

The results of the vaccination programme reported at
the Standing Committee on the
several meetings of
Food Chain and Animal Health were generally favourable
concerning the control of the disease within the vacci-
nation area. However, the infection had spread to some
established vaccination area.
areas
Accordingly, Decision 2002/975/EC, as amended by
Decision 2003/436/EC (6) extended the vaccination area
to cover those adjacent areas.

adjacent

to the

Since the end of September 2003, no further circulation
of the avian influenza field virus subtype H7N3 has been
detected during the intense monitoring carried out in the
vaccination area. Consequently
to
introduce some changes to the vaccination programme
and
trade.
on
Accordingly, Decision 2002/975/EC, as amended by
Decision 2004/159/EC approved those changes and
restrictions.

intra-Community

restrictions

requested

Italy

the

(5) OJ L 337, 13.12.2002, p. 87. Decision as last amended by Decision

2004/159/EC (OJ L 50, 20.2.2004, p. 63).

(6) OJ L 149, 17.6.2003, p. 33.

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Official Journal of the European Union

30.9.2004

(6)

(7)

(8)

In February 2004, a low pathogenic avian influenza virus
strain of subtype H5N3 was isolated in one duck flock in
the region of Lombardia within the vaccination area.
Although the epidemiological
investigations have not
revealed any spread of the infection, the risk of intro-
duction of avian influenza subtype H5 has been demon-
strated. At present neither the poultry vaccinated against
H7 subtype within the framework of the existing vacci-
nation campaign nor the non-vaccinated poultry popu-
lation is protected against disease possibly caused by
avian influenza
Italy has
requested to amend the current vaccination programme
in order to authorise the vaccination of poultry within
the established vaccination area with a bivalent vaccine
which protects against avian influenza virus infection of
both H7 and H5 subtypes and to carry out this kind of
vaccination until at least 31 December 2005.

subtype H5. Therefore

As Decision 2002/975/EC has already been amended
twice, for reasons of clarity of Community legislation,
it is appropriate to repeal that Decision and replace it
by this Decision.

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

in this Decision are in
Standing
the

opinion

the

of

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The

amended vaccination programme

1.
avian
influenza presented by Italy to the Commission is approved
and shall be carried out in the vaccination area described in
Annex I.

against

2.
Intensive monitoring and surveillance as set out in the
vaccination programme referred to in paragraph 1 shall be
carried out in the vaccination area described in Annex I and
in the bordering area described in Annex II.

Article 2

The restrictions on movements of live poultry, hatching eggs
into, out of and within the area
and fresh poultry meat
described in Annex I shall apply as laid down in the vaccination
programme referred to in Article 1 and in the following articles.

Article 4

Animal health certificates accompanying consignments of live
poultry and hatching eggs from Italy shall include the words:
‘The animal health conditions of
this consignment are in
accordance with Decision 2004/666/EC’.

Article 5

1.
Fresh meat of poultry shall be marked in accordance with
Annex II of Council Directive 2002/99/EC and shall not be
dispatched from Italy if it is derived from:

(a) poultry vaccinated against avian influenza.

(b) poultry from avian influenza sero-positive poultry flocks
destined for slaughter under official control in accordance
with the vaccination programme referred to in Article 1.

(c) poultry originating from holdings located in a restriction
zone established in accordance with the provisions laid
down in the vaccination programme referred to in Article 1.

By way of derogation from paragraph 1(a)

2.
fresh meat
derived from turkeys and chickens vaccinated against avian
influenza with a heterologous vaccine of subtype (H7N1) and
(H5N9) shall not be marked in accordance with Annex II of
Council Directive 2002/99/EC and may be dispatched to other
Member States, provided that the meat comes from turkeys and
chickens which:

(i) originate from flocks which have been regularly inspected
and tested with negative results for avian influenza as laid
down in the approved vaccination programme, with
particular attention to be paid to the sentinel birds.For
the testing of:

— vaccinated birds, the iIFA-test shall be used,

— sentinel birds, either the Haemagglutination-Inhibition
the AGID-test or the ELISA-test shall be
shall also be used if

the iIFA-test

(HI),
Test
used. However,
necessary;

(ii) originate from flocks which have been clinically inspected
by an official veterinarian within 48 hours before loading,
with particular attention to be paid to the sentinel birds;

Article 3

No live poultry and hatching eggs coming from and/or origi-
nating from poultry holdings from the area described in Annex
I shall be dispatched from Italy.

(iii) originate from flocks which have been tested serologically
with negative results at the National Laboratory for avian
influenza, by using the sampling and testing procedure laid
down in Annex III to this Decision;

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Official Journal of the European Union

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(iv) shall be sent directly to a slaughterhouse designated by the
competent authority and shall be slaughtered immediately
after arrival. The birds shall be kept separated from other
flocks not complying with the present provisions.

3.
Fresh turkey and chicken meat fulfilling the requirements
as set out in paragraph 2 shall be accompanied by the health
to Council Directive
certificate
71/118/EEC (1), which shall
include under point IV(a) of the
certificate the following attestation of the official veterinarian:

laid down in Annex VI

‘The turkey meat/chicken meat (*) described above is in
accordance with Decision 2004/666/EC.

___________
(*) Delete as appropriate’.

programme with the bivalent vaccine, at
advance.

least one day in

The provisions of Articles 2 to 6 shall be enforced from

2.
the date of the commencement of the vaccination.

Article 8

1.
Italy shall, at six-month intervals, present a report to the
Commission containing information on the effectiveness of the
vaccination programme referred to in Article 1.

2.
This Decision, and in particular the period of time during
which the movement restrictions provided for in Articles 2 to 6
shall continue to apply after the completion of the vaccination
programme, shall be reviewed accordingly.

Article 6

Article 9

in the vaccination area described in

Decision 2002/975/EC is repealed.

Italy shall ensure that
Annex I:

Article 10

This Decision shall apply from 1 October 2004.

Article 11

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 29 September 2004.

For the Commission

David BYRNE
Member of the Commission

(a) only disposable packaging material, or packaging material
is used

which can be effectively washed and disinfected,
for the collection, storage and transport of table eggs;

(b) all means of transport used for transporting live poultry,
hatching eggs, fresh poultry meat, table eggs and poultry
feedstuff are cleaned and disinfected immediately before and
after each transport with disinfectants and methods of use
approved by the competent authority.

Article 7

1.
States the date of

Italy shall notify to the Commission and to other Member
the vaccination
the commencement of

(1) OJ L 55, 8.3.1971, p. 23. Directive as last amended by Directive

2004/41/EC.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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ANNEX I

VACCINATION AREA

Veneto Region

Verona Province

ALBAREDO D'ADIGE

ANGIARI

ARCOLE

BELFIORE

BONAVIGO

BOVOLONE

BUTTAPIETRA

CALDIERO

CASALEONE

CASTEL D'AZZANO

CASTELNUOVO DEL GARDA

CEREA

COLOGNA VENETA

COLOGNOLA AI COLLI

CONCAMARISE

ERBÈ

GAZZO VERONESE

ISOLA DELLA SCALA

ISOLA RIZZA

LAVAGNO

MINERBE

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

MONTEFORTE D'ALPONE

area to the south of the A4 motorway

MOZZECANE

NOGARA

NOGAROLE ROCCA

OPPEANO

PALÙ

PESCHIERA DEL GARDA

POVEGLIANO VERONESE

PRESSANA

RONCO ALL'ADIGE

ROVERCHIARA

ROVEREDO DI GUÀ

SALIZZOLE

SAN BONIFACIO

SAN GIOVANNI LUPATOTO

SANGUINETTO

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

SAN MARTINO BUON ALBERGO

area to the south of the A4 motorway

SAN PIETRO DI MORUBIO

SOAVE

SOMMACAMPAGNA

SONA

SORGÀ

TREVENZUOLO

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

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VALEGGIO SUL MINCIO

VERONA

VERONELLA

VIGASIO

VILLAFRANCA DI VERONA

ZEVIO

ZIMELLA

Lombardia Region

Brescia Province

ACQUAFREDDA

ALFIANELLO

BAGNOLO MELLA

BASSANO BRESCIANO

BORGOSATOLLO

BRESCIA

CALCINATO

CALVISANO

CAPRIANO DEL COLLE

CARPENEDOLO

CASTENEDOLO

CIGOLE

DELLO

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

DESENZANO DEL GARDA

area to the south of the A4 motorway

FIESSE

FLERO

GAMBARA

GHEDI

GOTTOLENGO

ISORELLA

LENO

LONATO

MANERBIO

MILZANO

MONTICHIARI

MONTIRONE

OFFLAGA

PAVONE DEL MELLA

PONCARALE

PONTEVICO

POZZOLENGO

PRALBOINO

QUINZANO D'OGLIO

REMEDELLO

REZZATO

SAN GERVASIO BRESCIANO

SAN ZENO NAVIGLIO

SENIGA

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

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VEROLANUOVA

VEROLAVECCHIA

VISANO

Mantova Province

CASTIGLIONE DELLE STIVIERE

CAVRIANA

CERESARA

GOITO

GUIDIZZOLO

MARMIROLO

MEDOLE

MONZAMBANO

PONTI SUL MINCIO

ROVERBELLA

SOLFERINO

VOLTA MANTOVANA

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AREA BORDERING THE VACCINATION AREA WHERE INTENSIVE MONITORING IS CARRIED OUT

ANNEX II

Lombardia Region

Bergamo province

ANTEGNATE

BAGNATICA

BARBATA

BARIANO

BOLGARE

CALCINATE

CALCIO

CASTELLI CALEPIO

CAVERNAGO

CIVIDATE AL PIANO

COLOGNO AL SERIO

CORTENUOVA

COSTA DI MEZZATE

COVO

FARA OLIVANA CON SOLA

FONTANELLA

GHISALBA

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

GRUMELLO DEL MONTE

area to the south of the A4 motorway

ISSO

MARTINENGO

MORENGO

MORNICO AL SERIO

PAGAZZANO

PALOSCO

PUMENENGO

ROMANO DI LOMBARDIA

SERIATE

TELGATE

TORRE PALLAVICINA

Brescia province

AZZANO MELLA

BARBARIGA

BASSANO BRESCIANO
BERLINGO

BORGO SAN GIACOMO

BRANDICO
CASTEGNATO

CASTEL MELLA

CASTELCOVATI
CASTREZZATO

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

CAZZAGO SAN MARTINO

area to the south of the A4 motorway

CHIARI

COCCAGLIO
COLOGNE

COMEZZANO-CIZZAGO

CORZANO
ERBUSCO

area to the south of the A4 motorway

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area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

area to the south of the A4 motorway

LOGRATO

LONGHENA
MACLODIO

MAIRANO

ORZINUOVI
ORZIVECCHI

OSPITALETTO

PALAZZOLO SULL'OGLIO
POMPIANO

PONTOGLIO

ROCCAFRANCA
RONCADELLE

ROVATO

RUDIANO
SAN PAOLO

TORBOLE CASAGLIA

TRAVAGLIATO
TRENZANO

URAGO D'OGLIO

VILLACHIARA

Cremona province

CAMISANO
CASALE CREMASCO-VIDOLASCO

CASALETTO DI SOPRA

CASTEL GABBIANO
SONCINO

Mantova province

ACQUANEGRA SUL CHIESE
ASOLA

BIGARELLO

CANNETO SULL'OGLIO
CASALMORO

CASALOLDO

CASALROMANO
CASTEL D'ARIO

CASTEL GOFFREDO

CASTELBELFORTE
GAZOLDO DEGLI IPPOLITI

MARIANA MANTOVANA

PIUBEGA
PORTO MANTOVANO

REDONDESCO

RODIGO
RONCOFERRARO

SAN GIORGIO DI MANTOVA

VILLIMPENTA

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Veneto Region

Padua province

CARCERI

CASALE DI SCODOSIA
ESTE

LOZZO ATESTINO

MEGLIADINO SAN FIDENZIO
MEGLIADINO SAN VITALE

MONTAGNANA

OSPEDALETTO EUGANEO
PONSO

SALETTO
SANTA MARGHERITA D’ADIGE
URBANA

Verona province

BEVILACQUA

BOSCHI SANT'ANNA
BUSSOLENGO

PESCANTINA

SOMMACAMPAGNA

SONA

Vicenza province

AGUGLIARO

ALBETTONE

ALONTE
ASIGLIANO VENETO

BARBARANO VICENTINO

CAMPIGLIA DEI BERICI
CASTEGNERO

LONIGO

MONTEGALDA
MONTEGALDELLA

MOSSANO

NANTO
NOVENTA VICENTINA

ORGIANO

POIANA MAGGIORE

SAN GERMANO DEI BERICI
SOSSANO

VILLAGA

area to the north of the A4 motorway

area to the north of the A4 motorway

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ANNEX III

SAMPLING AND TESTING PROCEDURE

1.

Introduction and general use

The developed indirect Immunofluorescence Assay (iIFA-test) is aimed at the differentiation between vaccinated/field
exposed and vaccinated/non field exposed turkeys and chickens in the framework of a ‘DIVA’ (Differentiating Infected
from Vaccinated Animals) vaccination strategy using a heterologous subtype vaccine from the field virus subtype.

2. Use of the test for the purpose of dispatching fresh turkey and chicken meat from the vaccination area in

Italy to other Member States

Meat originating from turkey and chicken flocks vaccinated against avian influenza may be dispatched to other
Member States provided that, where all the birds are kept in one building, blood samples have been taken by the
official veterinarian within seven days prior to slaughter from at least 10 vaccinated turkeys or chickens destined for
slaughter. However, where the poultry are kept in more than one group or shed, at least 20 vaccinated birds selected
randomly from all the groups or sheds on the farm shall be sampled.