2005/726/EC: Commission Decision of 17 October 2005 amending Decision 2005/464/EC on the implementation of survey programmes for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds to be carried out in the Member States (notified under document number C(2005) 3960)
Date: 2005-10-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU financing, animal disease, bird, disease prevention, poultry

19.10.2005

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 273/21

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 17 October 2005

amending Decision 2005/464/EC on the implementation of survey programmes for avian influenza
in poultry and wild birds to be carried out in the Member States

(notified under document number C(2005) 3960)

(2005/726/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
Article 20 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Decision 90/424/EEC provides
a Community
financial contribution for the undertaking of technical
and scientific measures necessary for the development
of Community veterinary legislation and for veterinary
education and training.

for

The Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal
Welfare, in a report of 27 June 2000, recommended that
surveys be carried out on poultry flocks and wild birds
for avian influenza,
to determine the
infections with avian influenza virus
prevalence of
subtypes H5 and H7.

in particular

(3)

Council Directive 92/40/EEC of 19 May 1992 intro-
ducing Community measures for the control of avian

(4)

(5)

influenza (2), defines Community control measures to be
applied in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza in
poultry. However, it does not provide for regular surveys
of that disease in poultry and wild birds.

Commission Decision 2005/464/EC of 21 June 2005 on
the implementation of survey programmes for avian
influenza in poultry and wild birds to be carried out in
the Member States (3) provides for the implementation in
2005 of surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild
birds in the Member States, subject to the survey plans
being approved by the Commission. Such surveys should
investigate the presence of infections in poultry, which
could lead to a review of current
legislation and
contribute to the knowledge of the possible threats for
from wildlife. That Decision
animals
provides that, by 30 June 2005, Member States are to
submit to the Commission for approval programmes for
the implementation of those surveys in accordance with
the guidelines set out in the Annex thereto.

and humans

Member States submitted those programmes by 30 June
2005. However, following the recent evolution of the
avian influenza situation in Asia, and in particular as
regards surveillance in migratory birds, an expert group
meeting convened on 25 August 2005 and 6 September
2005 concluded that, taking into account the existing
knowledge on the migratory routes of the species of
birds proceeding from central and western Asia it
is
appropriate to improve surveillance in wild birds and
intensify the surveillance programmes already planned
for 2005/2006, by increasing sampling on migratory
waterfowl along the flyways that could pose a risk for
disease introduction.

(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 (OJ L
325, 12.12.2003, p. 31).

(2) OJ L 167, 22.6.1992, p. 1. Directive as last amended by the 2003

Act of Accession.

(3) OJ L 164, 24.6.2005, p. 52.

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(6)

(7)

(8)

amendments

In accordance with those conclusions, Member States
have modified their programmes and have communi-
cated those
to the Commission for
approval. In order to allow those amended programmes
to be approved and the Community’s financial contri-
bution to be decided in due time, the deadline for the
submission of the programmes, the list of tests to be
financed and the conditions set out in the Annex to
Decision 2005/464/EC should be amended.

1.

in Article 1,
2005’;

‘30 June 2005’ is replaced by ‘13 September

2.

in Article 3, the following point (e) is added:

‘(e) PCR test:

EUR 10 per test.’;

3. part D in the Annex is replaced by part D in the Annex to

this Decision.

Decision 2005/464/EC should therefore be amended
accordingly.

4. part F is added to the Annex.

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

in this Decision are in
Standing
the

opinion

the

of

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Done at Brussels, 17 October 2005.

Article 1

Decision 2005/464/EC is amended as follows:

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission

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The Annex to Decision 2005/464/EC is amended as follows:

ANNEX

1. part D is replaced by the following:

‘D. SURVEY FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA IN WILD BIRDS

In those Member States where surveillance will also involve wild birds the following guidelines shall be followed.

D.1. Survey design and implementation

1. Liaisons with bird conservation/watching institutions and ringing stations will be necessary. Sampling

where appropriate shall be carried out by staff from these groups/stations or by hunters.

2. Active surveillance on living or hunted birds shall be targeted on:

(a)

the population of wild bird species presenting a higher risk to be identified, based upon:

(i) origin and migratory flyways;

(ii) numbers of wild birds in the Community; and

(iii) likelihood of contact with domestic poultry;

(b) identify sites at risk, based upon:

(i) mixing sites of high number of migratory birds involving different species and in particular those

listed in part F;

(ii) proximity to domestic poultry farms; and

(iii) location along migratory flyways.

Sampling must take account of the seasonality of migration patterns, which may vary in different Member
States and the species of birds listed in Annex F.

3. Passive surveillance on wild birds found dead shall primarily target the occurrence of abnormal mortality

or significant disease outbreaks in:

(a) wild birds species listed in part F and other wild birds living in contact with them; and

(b) at sites as referred to in point 2(b)(i).

The occurrence of mortality in several species at the same site shall be an additional factor to be
considered.

D.2. Sampling procedures

1. Cloacal swabs for virological examination shall be taken. In addition to “first year” birds in autumn, host
species with high susceptibility and increased contact with poultry (such as Mallard ducks) may offer the
highest chance of success.

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2. In addition to cloacal swabs or faeces, tissues, (namely the brain, heart, lung, kidney and intestines from
wild birds found dead or shot shall also be sampled for virus isolation and molecular detection (PCR).
Molecular techniques shall only be carried out in laboratories able to guarantee quality assurance and
using methods recognised by the CRL for avian influenza.

3. Samples shall be taken from different species of free living birds. Waterfowl and shorebirds shall be the

main sampling targets.

4. Swabs containing faeces, or carefully collected fresh faeces shall be taken from wild birds trapped, hunted

and found freshly dead.

5. Pooling of up to five samples from the same species collected at the same site and same time may be
permitted. Specific care has to be taken for the storage and transport of samples. If rapid transport within
48 hours to the laboratory (in transport medium at 4 °Celsius) is not guaranteed, samples shall be stored
and then transported in dry ice at – 70 °Celsius.’

2. the following part F is added:

‘F. LIST OF WILD BIRD SPECIES PRESENTING HIGHER RISK IN RELATION TO AVIAN INFLUENZA (*)

Latin name

English language name

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

Anser albifrons

Anser fabalis

Anas platyrhynchos

Anas strepera

Anas acuta

Anas clypeata

Anas Penelope

Anas crecca

Anas querquedula

Aythya ferina

Aythya fuligula

Vanellus vanellus

White-fronted goose

Bean goose

Mallard

Gadwal

Northern Pintail

Northern Shoveler

Eurasian Wigeon

Common Teal

Garganay

Common Pochard

Tufted duck

Northern Lapwing

Philomachus pugnax

Ruff

Larus ribibundus

Larus canus

Black-headed gull

Common gull

___________
(*) All naturally occurring wild birds species in the Community, including the the species listed in the table in this
part, are covered by the protection regime of Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds and therefore
full regard shall be taken of the requirements of this Directive in any surveillance for avian influenza.’