2005/10/EC: Commission Decision of 30 December 2004 amending Decision 2004/666/EC as regards the reintroduction of vaccination in certain parts of Italy affected by low pathogenic avian influenza and extending movement control measures (notified under document number C(2004) 5541)Text with EEA relevance
Date: 2004-12-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, disease prevention, export restriction, poultrymeat, vaccination, veterinary legislation

6.1.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 4/15

COMMISSION DECISION

of 30 December 2004

amending Decision 2004/666/EC as regards the reintroduction of vaccination in certain parts of
Italy affected by low pathogenic avian influenza and extending movement control measures

(notified under document number C(2004) 5541)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2005/10/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11
in intra-
December 1989 concerning
the
Community trade with a view to the completion of
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 4(1) and (3) and Article 13(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Under Commission Decision 2002/975/EC of 12
to
December

introducing

vaccination

2002

on

(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, corrigendum in OJ L 195, 2.6.2004, p. 12).
(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.

a

control measures (5),

infections with low pathogenic

supplement the measures to control infections with low
pathogenic avian influenza in Italy and on specific
movement
vaccination
programme was carried out in parts of Northern Italy
to control
avian
influenza strain subtype H7N3. A DIVA strategy was
applied by using a heterologous vaccine of H7N1
subtype, which allows differentiation between infected
and vaccinated poultry. Since September 2003, no
further virus circulation of
the field strain has been
detected.

on

and

2004

control

measures

vaccination

introducing

Under Commission Decision 2004/666/EC of 29
September
to
supplement the measures to control infections with low
pathogenic avian influenza in Italy and on specific
movement
repealing
2002/975/EC (6), a new vaccination programme was
Italy compared to the
approved in a smaller area of
previous
Decision
vaccination
2002/975/EC. That new programme is carried out with
a bivalent vaccine containing both avian influenza
subtypes H5 and H7. A prohibition on intra-
Community trade in live poultry and hatching eggs
apply in the vaccination area and conditions for intra-
Community
in fresh meat originating from
vaccinated poultry have been laid down in that Decision.

campaign

under

trade

Since mid September 2004, there is evidence that low
pathogenic avian influenza of the same subtype H7N3
has been reoccurring in the areas of
Italy previously
affected.

Although up to present time the infections seem to be
contained within a defined area under the restrictions
provided for in Decision 2004/666/EC, it appears appro-
priate to reintroduce vaccination in bordering areas to
prevent possible
In
is appropriate to extend the restrictive
addition,
measures provided for in that Decision.

the disease.

spread of

further

it

(2)

(3)

(4)

(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 303, 30.9.2004, p. 35.

L 4/16

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

6.1.2005

(5)

(6)

(7)

the vaccination campaign
Due to vaccine availability,
should be carried out with a monovalent vaccine
suitable to protect against the current infections with
subtype H7N3.

In addition, the health marking to be applied for fresh
poultry meat not intended for intra-Community trade
nor for dispatch to third countries, as provided for in
Decision 2004/666/EC, should be amended to facilitate
national use.

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

Decision 2004/666/EC is amended as follows:

1. Article 1 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 1

1.
The vaccination programme against avian influenza
submitted by Italy to the Commission is approved. It shall
be carried out in the areas listed in Annex I with a bivalent
vaccine and in the areas listed in Annex II with the mono-
valent vaccine.

Intensive monitoring and surveillance, as set out in the
2.
vaccination programme referred to in paragraph 1, shall be
carried out in the areas listed in Annexes I and II.’

2. In Articles 2 and 3, the words‘Annex I’ are replaced by the

words ‘Annexes I and II’.

3. Article 5 is amended as follows:

(a)

In paragraph 1, the introductory phrase is replaced by
the following:
‘Fresh meat of poultry shall be marked with a rectangular
mark containing the approval number of
the estab-
lishment, but not
the letters C.E., and shall not be
dispatched from Italy if it is derived from:’

(b) In paragraph 2, the words ‘Annex II of Council Directive
2002/99/EC’ are replaced by the words ‘paragraph 1’.

4. In Article 6, in the introductory phrase, the words ‘Annex I’

are replaced by the words ‘Annexes I and II’.

5. In Annex I, the title ‘vaccination area’ is replaced by the title
‘Area, where vaccination is carried out with a bivalent
vaccine’.

6. In Annex II, the title ‘area bordering the vaccination area
where intensive monitoring is carried out’ is placed by the
title ‘Area, where vaccination with a monovalent vaccine is
carried out’.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 30 December 2004.

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission