EFTA Surveillance Authority Decision No 29/07/COL of 19 February 2007 approving the plan submitted by Norway for the preventive vaccination of birds kept in zoos against highly pathogenic avian influenza
Date: 2007-02-19
Institutions: EFTA Surveillance Authority
Subjects: Norway, bird, disease prevention, vaccination, zoo

L 132/40

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

24.5.2007

EFTA SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY DECISION

No 29/07/COL

of 19 February 2007

approving the plan submitted by Norway for the preventive vaccination of birds kept in zoos
against highly pathogenic avian influenza

THE EFTA SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY,

HAVING REGARD to the Agreement on the European Economic
Area, and in particular Article 109 and Protocol 1 thereof,

HAVING REGARD to the Agreement between the EFTA States on
the Establishment of a Surveillance Authority and a Court of
Justice, and in particular Article 5(2)(d) and Protocol 1 thereof,

I of Annex I

HAVING REGARD to the Act referred to at Point 3.1.5a of
to the EEA Agreement, Council
Chapter
Directive 2005/94/EC of 20 December 2005 on Community
measures for the control of avian influenza and repealing
Directive 92/40/EEC) (1), as adapted to the EEA Agreement by
Protocol 1 thereto, and in particular to Articles 56(2) and 57(2)
thereof,

HAVING REGARD to the Act applicable to Norway following the
procedures referred to in Article 3(b) of the introductory part of
Chapter I of Annex I
to the EEA Agreement, Commission
Decision 2006/474/EC of 6 July 2006 concerning measures
the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza
to prevent
caused by influenza A virus of subtype H5N1 to birds kept
in zoos and approved bodies,
institutes and centres in the
Member States and repealing Decision 2005/744/EC (2),

HAVING REGARD to the EFTA Surveillance Authority Decision
No 22/07/COL of 14 February 2007, whereby the competent
Member of the College is instructed to adopt the Decision if the
draft decision is in accordance with the opinion of the EFTA
Veterinary Committee (EVC),

WHEREAS avian influenza is an infectious viral disease in poultry
and birds, causing mortality and disturbances which can quickly
take epizootic proportions liable to present a serious threat to
animal and public health and to reduce sharply the profitability
of poultry farming;

(1) OJ L 10, 14.1.2006, p. 16.
(2) OJ L 187, 8.7.2006, p. 37.

WHEREAS due to their confinement, birds kept in zoos and
approved bodies,
institutes or centres cannot normally come
into contact with poultry or other captive birds and do
therefore not pose any risk of contamination for poultry or
other captive birds and given the value of birds kept in zoos,
preventive vaccination of such birds may constitute an appro-
priate additional preventative measure;

WHEREAS Directive 2005/94/EC lays down rules for the intro-
duction of preventive vaccination against avian influenza, inter
alia, of captive birds, such as birds kept in zoos and provides for
to the EFTA
the
Surveillance Authority for approval of their preventive vacci-
nation plans for poultry or other captive birds;

submission by the EEA EFTA States

lays

2006/474/EC

down
in relation to bio-security measures

certain
WHEREAS Decision
requirements
the
for
prevention of highly pathogenic avian influenza caused by
influenza A virus of subtype H5N1 in birds kept in zoos and
in approved bodies,
institutes and centres in the EEA EFTA
States to protect wild fauna and to conserve bio-diversity;

WHEREAS Decision 2006/474/EC also lays down rules
concerning preventive vaccination of birds kept in zoos and
approved bodies,
the EEA EFTA
institutes and centres that
States should follow, if they consider it appropriate to vaccine
such birds, and provides for the submission by EEA EFTA States
to the EFTA Surveillance Authority of their plans for the vacci-
nation of birds kept in zoos;

WHEREAS the EFTA Surveillance Authority,
co-
operation with the European Commission, has examined the
preventive vaccination plans against avian influenza submitted
by Norway in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC and
Decision 2006/474/EC and it
therefore appropriate to
provide for its approval;

in close

is

WHEREAS the measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of
EFTA Veterinary
Committee assisting the EFTA Surveillance Authority,

the

24.5.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 132/41

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

3. This Decision shall enter into force on 19 February 2007.

1. The plan for the preventive vaccination of birds kept in zoos
against highly pathogenic avian influenza submitted by
Norway on 15 May 2006 in accordance with Article 56(2)
of Directive 2005/94/EC and Article 4 of Decision
2006/474/EC is hereby approved.

2. Pursuant to Article 109(2) of the EEA Agreement, the EFTA
Surveillance Authority shall
forward to the European
Commission the preventive vaccination plan submitted by
Norway and any amendments thereto.

4. This Decision shall be authentic in the English language.

Done at Brussels, 19 February 2007.

For the EFTA Surveillance Authority

Bjørn T. GRYDELAND
President

Niels FENGER
Director