Commission Regulation (EC) No 737/2008 of 28 July 2008 designating the Community reference laboratories for crustacean diseases, rabies and bovine tuberculosis, laying down additional responsibilities and tasks for the Community reference laboratories for rabies and bovine tuberculosis and amending Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council
Date: 2008-07-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU office or agency, France, Spain, United Kingdom, animal tuberculosis, competence of the institution, crustacean, health control, rabies, research body, veterinary inspection

30.7.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 201/29

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 737/2008

of 28 July 2008

designating the Community reference laboratories for crustacean diseases, rabies and bovine
laying down additional responsibilities and tasks for the Community reference
tuberculosis,
laboratories for rabies and bovine tuberculosis and amending Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No
882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

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 (1), and in particular Article 32(5) and (6) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 2006/88/EC of 24 October
2006 on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals
and products thereof, and on the prevention and control of
certain diseases
and in particular
Article 55(1) thereof,

animals (2),

in aquatic

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

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 Part II of Annex VII to that
Regulation.

Directive 2006/88/EC lays down the animal health
requirements for the placing on the market, and the
importation and the transit through the Community of
aquaculture animals and products thereof, and certain
minimum preventive and control measures for certain
to that Directive,
diseases in those animals. Pursuant
the Community
aquatic
animal diseases are to comply with the functions and
duties laid down in Part I of Annex VI thereto.

laboratories

reference

for

& Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Weymouth Laboratory,
United Kingdom,
the
Community reference laboratory for crustacean diseases.

designated

should

be

as

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

Following the completion of the selection procedure of a
call for designation, the Laboratoire d’études sur la rage
et la pathologie des animaux sauvages of the Agence
Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments (AFSSA),
Nancy, France, should be designated as the Community
reference laboratory for rabies.

Following the completion of the selection procedure of a
call for designation, the Laboratorio de Vigilancia Vete­
Facultad de Veterinaria,
rinaria
Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain,
should be designated as
the Community reference
laboratory for bovine tuberculosis.

(VISAVET) of

the

The Community reference laboratories for crustacean
should be
rabies and bovine
diseases,
designated for an initial period of
from
1 July 2008 in order to enable the assessment of their
performance and compliance.

tuberculosis

five years

In addition to the general functions and duties laid down
in Article 32(2) of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004, certain
specific responsibilities and tasks linked to the characte­
ristics of the agents causing the disease should be carried
out at Community level
to ensure enhanced coordi­
nation. Therefore, these additional specific responsibilities
and tasks should be laid down in the present Regulation
for the Community reference laboratories for rabies and
bovine tuberculosis.

(3)

Following the completion of the selection procedure of a
call for designation, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries

(8)

Part II of Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004
should therefore be amended accordingly.

(1) OJ L 165, 30.4.2004, p. 1, as corrected by OJ L 191, 28.5.2004,
p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Council Regulation (EC) No
301/2008 (OJ L 97, 9.4.2008, p. 85).

(2) OJ L 328, 24.11.2006, p. 14. Directive as amended by Commission

Directive 2008/53/EC (OJ L 117, 1.5.2008, p. 27).

(9)

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

opinion

the

the

of

L 201/30

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

30.7.2008

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science
(Cefas), Weymouth Laboratory, United Kingdom,
is hereby
designated as the Community reference laboratory for crus­
tacean diseases from 1 July 2008 until 30 June 2013.

Article 2

The Laboratoire d’études sur
la pathologie des
Française de Sécurité
animaux sauvages of
Sanitaire des Aliments
is hereby
designated as the Community reference laboratory for rabies
from 1 July 2008 until 30 June 2013.

the Agence
(AFSSA), Nancy, France,

la rage et

Centre
Science (Cefas)

for Environment,

Weymouth Laboratory

Fisheries & Aquaculture

The Nothe

Barrack Road

Weymouth

Dorset DT4 8UB

United Kingdom

16. Community reference laboratory for rabies

AFSSA — Laboratoire d’études
pathologie des animaux sauvages, Nancy, France

la rage et

sur

la

Certain responsibilities and tasks for that laboratory are set out
in Annex I.

Article 3

The Laboratorio de Vigilancia Veterinaria (VISAVET), Facultad
de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid,
Spain,
the Community reference
laboratory for bovine tuberculosis from 1 July 2008 until
30 June 2013.

is hereby designated as

Certain responsibilities and tasks for that laboratory are set out
in Annex II.

Article 4

54220 Malzéville

France

17. Community reference laboratory for bovine tuberculosis
VISAVET — Laboratorio de vigilancia veterinaria,
Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de
Madrid

Avda. Puerta de Hierro, s/n. Ciudad Universitaria

28040 Madrid
Spain’

In Part II of Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004, the
following points 15, 16 and 17 are added:

Article 5

‘15. Community reference laboratory for crustacean diseases

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

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

Done at Brussels, 28 July 2008.

For the Commission

Androulla VASSILIOU
Member of the Commission

30.7.2008

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 201/31

ANNEX I

CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS OF THE COMMUNITY REFERENCE LABORATORY FOR RABIES

In addition 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 for rabies shall have the
responsibilities and tasks set out in points 1 to 5.

1. To coordinate, in consultation with the Commission, the methods employed in the Member States for diagnosing

rabies, in particular by:

(a)

typing, storing and supplying strains of rabies virus;

(b) preparing, controlling and supplying international standard sera and other reference reagents to the national

reference laboratories in order to standardise the tests and reagents used in the Member States;

(c) validating reference reagents including antigens and national standard sera submitted by the national reference

laboratories;

(d) building up and maintaining a sera bank and a collection of rabies virus, and maintaining a database of strains

isolated across the Community, including typing;

(e) organising periodical comparative tests of diagnostic procedures at Community level and operating laboratory

proficiency tests of national reference laboratories;

(f) collecting and collating data and information on the methods of diagnosis used and the results of tests carried out

in the Community;

(g) characterising rabies virus by the most up-to-date methods available to allow a greater understanding of the

epidemiology of that disease;

(h) keeping abreast of developments in rabies surveillance, epidemiology and prevention throughout the world;

(i) acquiring a thorough knowledge of the preparation and use of the products of veterinary immunology used to

eradicate and control rabies including the evaluation of vaccines.

2. To facilitate the harmonisation of techniques throughout the Community,

in particular specifying standard test

methodologies.

3. To organise workshops for the benefit of national reference laboratories as agreed in the work-programme and annual
budget referred to in Articles 2 to 4 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 156/2004 (1), including training of experts
from the Member States and, as appropriate, from third countries, in new analytical methodologies.

4. To provide technical assistance to the Commission and, upon its request, to participate in international fora relating to

rabies, concerning in particular the standardisation of analytical diagnostic methods and their implementation.

5. To perform research activities and, whenever possible, coordinate research activities directed towards the improved

control and eradication of rabies, in particular by:

(a) carrying out or collaborating with national reference laboratories in carrying out test validation trials;

(b) providing scientific advice to the Commission and collecting information and reports associated with the activities

of the Community reference laboratory.

(1) OJ L 27, 30.1.2004, p. 5.

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Official Journal of the European Union

30.7.2008

ANNEX II

CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS OF THE COMMUNITY REFERENCE LABORATORY FOR BOVINE
TUBERCULOSIS

In addition 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 for bovine tuberculosis shall have
the responsibilities and tasks set out in points 1 to 5.

(1) To coordinate, in consultation with the Commission, the methods employed in the Member States for diagnosing

bovine tuberculosis, in particular by:

(a)

typing, storing and supplying strains of Mycobacterium sp. causing tuberculosis in animals;

(b) preparing, controlling and supplying reference reagents to the national reference laboratories in order to stan­

dardise the tests and reagents used in the Member States;

(c) validating reference reagents including antigens and tuberculins submitted by the national reference laboratories

for bovine tuberculosis;

(d) building up and maintaining a collection of Mycobacterium sp. causing tuberculosis in animals, and maintaining a

database of strains isolated across the Community including typing;

(e) organising periodical comparative tests of diagnostic procedures at Community level and operating laboratory

proficiency tests of national reference laboratories;

(f) collecting and collating data and information on the methods of diagnosis used and the results of tests carried out

in the Community;

(g) characterising Mycobacterium sp. causing tuberculosis in animals by the most up-to-date methods available to allow

a greater understanding of the epidemiology of that disease;

(h) keeping abreast of developments in bovine tuberculosis surveillance, epidemiology and prevention throughout the

world;

(i) acquiring a thorough knowledge of the preparation and use of the products of veterinary immunology used to

eradicate and control bovine tuberculosis including the evaluation of vaccines.

(2) To facilitate the harmonisation of techniques throughout the Community,

in particular specifying standard test

methodologies.

(3) To organise workshops for the benefit of national reference laboratories as agreed in the work-programme and annual
budget referred to in Articles 2 to 4 of Regulation (EC) No 156/2004, including training of experts from the Member
States and, as appropriate, from third countries, in new analytical methodologies.

(4) To provide technical assistance to the Commission and, upon its request, to participate in international fora relating
to the diagnostic of bovine tuberculosis, concerning in particular the standardisation of analytical diagnostic methods
and their implementation.

(5) To perform research activities and, whenever possible, co-ordinate research activities directed towards the improved

control and eradication of bovine tuberculosis, in particular by:

(a) carrying out or collaborating with national reference laboratories in carrying out test validation trials;

(b) providing scientific advice to the Commission and collecting information and reports associated with the activities

of the Community reference laboratory.