Commission Regulation (EC) No 180/2008 of 28 February 2008 concerning the Community reference laboratory for equine diseases other than African horse sickness and amending Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council
Date: 2008-02-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: France, animal disease, equidae, health control, operation of the Institutions, research body, veterinary inspection

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COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 180/2008

of 28 February 2008

concerning the Community reference laboratory for equine diseases other than African horse
sickness and amending Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament
and of the Council

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(4)

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Council Directive 90/426/EEC of 26 June
1990 on animal health conditions governing the movement
and import from third countries of equidae (1), and in particular
Article 19(iv) thereof,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official
controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance
with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare
rules (2), and in particular Article 32(5) thereof,

(5)

(6)

Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 lays down the general
tasks, duties and requirements for Community reference
laboratories for food and feed and for animal health. The
Community reference laboratories for animal health and
live animals are listed in Chapter II of Annex VII to that
Regulation.
reference
laboratory for equine diseases other than African horse
sickness should be included in that list.

designated Community

The

Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 should therefore be
amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with
Standing
Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health,

opinion

the

the

of

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

90/426/EEC lays

Directive
health
conditions for the movement between Member States
and importation into the Community from third
countries of live equidae.

animal

down

the

accordance with Article

19(iv)
Commission may

In
of Directive
a
90/426/EEC,
designate
Community reference laboratory for one or more of
the diseases of equidae listed in Annex A to that
Directive.
the functions,
tasks and procedures regarding collaboration with labora-
tories responsible for diagnosing infectious diseases of
equidae in the Member States to be stipulated by the
Commission.

it provides for

In addition,

laboratory, Agence

Following the completion of a selection procedure, the
successful
Française de Sécurité
Sanitaire des Aliments (AFSSA), with its research labora-
tories for animal pathology and zoonoses, Maisons-Alfort
and for equine pathology and diseases, Dozulé, France,
should be designated as
the Community reference
laboratory for equine diseases other than African horse
sickness, for a period of five years from 1 July 2008.

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 42. Directive as last amended by Directive

2006/104/EC (OJ L 363, 20.12.2006, p. 352).

(2) OJ L 165, 30.4.2004, p. 1, as corrected by OJ L 191, 28.5.2004,
amended by Council Regulation

p. 1. Regulation as
(EC) No 1791/2006 (OJ L 363, 20.12.2006, p. 1).

last

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

1.
Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments
(AFSSA) with its research laboratories for animal pathology
and zoonoses and for equine pathology and diseases, France,
is hereby designated as the Community Reference Laboratory
for equine diseases other than African horse sickness from
1 July 2008 to 30 June 2013.

The functions,

2.
tasks and procedures regarding collab-
oration with laboratories responsible for diagnosing infectious
diseases of equidae in the Member States of the Community
Reference Laboratory referred to in paragraph 1 are set out in
the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

In Chapter II of Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004, the
following point 14 is added:

‘14. Community reference laboratory for equine diseases

other than African horse sickness

AFSSA — Laboratoire d’études et de recherches en
pathologie animale et zoonoses/Laboratoire d’études et
de recherche en pathologie équine

F-94700 Maisons-Alfort

France.’

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This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Union.

Article 3

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 28 February 2008.

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission

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ANNEX

Functions, tasks and procedures of the Community reference laboratory for equine diseases other than the
African horse sickness regarding collaboration with laboratories responsible for diagnosing infectious diseases of
equidae in the Member States

Without prejudice to the general functions and duties of Community Reference Laboratories in the animal health sector
pursuant to Article 32(2) of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004, the Community reference laboratory (CRL) for equine diseases
other than African horse sickness shall have the following duties and functions:

1. The CRL shall ensure liaison between the national/central laboratories of the Member States for equine diseases, or
with branches of diagnostic laboratories dealing with individual pathogens or groups of pathogens of the equine
diseases listed in Annex A to Directive 90/426/EEC and referred to in Annex D(II)(A) to Directive 92/65/EEC, with the
exception of African horse sickness, where necessary, specifically by:

(a) being at the forefront of the equine industry in close contact with the relevant structures for race and competition

horses, in order to:

(i) ensure an early warning, estimate and where possible predict the risk evolving from emerging diseases and

particular epidemiological situations;

(ii) monitor the disease situation globally and regionally by regularly receiving field samples from Member States
and third countries geographically or commercially linked to the Community in terms of trade in equidae or
products derived from such animals;

(b) typing and antigenic and genomic characterisation of pathogens, where relevant and necessary, for example for

epidemiological follow-ups or verification of diagnosis, from the samples referred to in point (a)(ii), and

(i) communicating without delay the results of such investigations to the Commission, the Member State and the

national/central laboratory concerned;

(ii) determining the identity of the causative pathogens, where necessary in close collaboration with regional

reference laboratories designated by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE);

(c) building up and maintaining an up-to-date collection of pathogens and their strains and an up-to-date collection of

specific sera against equine diseases;

(d) being entrusted to carry out an inventory of the currently used techniques in the various laboratories in order to:

(i) propose standardised tests and test procedures or reference sera for internal quality control;

(ii) develop new diagnostic procedures to make imports of equidae safer and exports of equidae more competitive;

(e) advising the Commission on all aspects related to equine diseases listed in Annex A to Directive 90/426/EEC or
referred to in Annex D(II)(A) to Directive 92/65/EEC or subject to other Community animal health legislation; that
task includes advising on possible vaccination, on the most appropriate health tests required for trade and imports,
or the evaluation of newly developed vaccines and on questions pertaining to the epidemiology of the various
equine diseases.

2. The CRL shall support the functions of national/central laboratories, in particular by:

(a) storing and supplying national/central

diseases such as virus or other pathogens and/or inactivated antigens, standardised sera, cell
reference reagents;

laboratories with reagents and materials for use in diagnosis of equine
lines and other

(b) retaining expertise on equine diseases, including emerging disease, to enable rapid differential diagnosis;

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(c) promoting harmonisation of diagnosis and ensuring proficiency of testing within the Community by organising
and operating periodic comparative trials and external quality assurance exercises on equine disease diagnosis at
Community level and by periodic transmission of the results of such trials to the Commission, the Member States
and national/central laboratories;

(d) gradually introducing and then continuing to carry out inter-laboratory proficiency tests;

(e) carrying out research studies with the objective of developing improved methods of disease control

in colla-
boration with national/central laboratories and as agreed in its annual work plan and providing optimal methods
for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

3. The CRL shall provide information and carry out further training, in particular by:

(a) gathering data and information on the methods of diagnosis and differential diagnosis used in national/central

laboratories and the distribution of such information to the Commission and the Member States;

(b) making and implementing the necessary arrangements for the further training of experts in laboratory diagnosis

with a view to harmonising diagnostic techniques;

(c) keeping abreast of developments in equine disease epidemiology;

(d) organising an annual meeting where representatives of the national/central

laboratories may review diagnostic

techniques and the progress of coordination.

4. The CRL shall also:

(a) perform experiments and field trials in consultation with the Commission directed towards an improved control of

specific equine diseases;

(b) review at the annual meeting of national/central reference laboratories the relevant requirements for testing laid

down in the OIE Terrestrial Animals Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines;

(c) assist the Commission in reviewing the recommendations of the OIE (Terrestrial Animal Health Code and Manual

of Standards for tests and vaccines).