2005/91/EC: Commission Decision of 2 February 2005 establishing the period after which the anti-rabies vaccination is considered as valid (notified under document number C(2005) 190) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2005-02-02
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: domestic animal, health control, rabies, transport of animals, vaccination, vaccine

4.2.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 31/61

COMMISSION DECISION

of 2 February 2005

establishing the period after which the anti-rabies vaccination is considered as valid

(notified under document number C(2005) 190)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2005/91/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Article 1

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on the animal
non-commercial
health
movement of pet animals and amending Council Directive
92/65/EEC (1), and in particular Article 20 thereof,

requirements

applicable

the

to

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 lays down the animal
health requirements applicable to the non-commercial
movements of dogs, cats and ferrets and the rules
applicable to checks on such movements.

That Regulation provides that the pet animal must be
accompanied by a passport
it has
undergone a valid anti-rabies vaccination, or revacci-
in accordance with the
nation (booster)
recommendations of the manufacturing laboratory.

certifying that

if applicable,

The recommendations of the producer of the vaccination
state clearly the end of the immunity period and the date
before which the revaccination (booster) has to be carried
out.

Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 does not lay down the
period necessary for the establishment of the immunity
against rabies. In the interests of clarity of Community
legislation, it is appropriate to provide for a time period
after which the anti-rabies vaccination or revaccination
(booster) should be considered as valid.

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

in this Decision are in
Standing
the

opinion

the

of

Without prejudice to the requirements laid down in Articles 6
and 8 of Regulation (EC) No 998/2003, for the purpose of
Article 5(1)(b) of
that Regulation, an anti-rabies vaccination
from the date of
shall be considered as valid 21 days
completion of the vaccination protocol required by the manu-
facturer for the primary vaccination in the country in which the
vaccination is administred.

However, the anti-rabies vaccination shall be considered as valid
from the date of revaccination (booster) where the vaccine is
administered within the period of validity indicated by the
manufacturer of a previous vaccination in the country in
which the previous vaccination was administered. The vacci-
nation shall be considered as a primary vaccination in the
absence of veterinary certification attesting the previous vacci-
nation.

Article 2

This Decision shall apply from 7 February 2005.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 2 February 2005.

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 146, 13.6.2003, p. 1. Regulation as

(EC) No 2054/2004 (OJ

last amended by
L 355,

Commission Regulation
1.12.2004, p. 14).