CELEX: 51979PC0005
Language: en
Date: 1979-01-19
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on financial contribution from the Community to Spain for the eradication of African Swine Fever (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (79) 5
Vol. 1979/0002
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                             COM(79)5 final
                                             Brussels - 19 January 1979
                              Proposal for a
                             COUNCIL DECISION
           on financial contribution from the Community to
           Spain for the eradication of African Swine Fever
             ( submitted to the Council by the Commission )
                           !"     / '"    •
                           X " J ■
 C0MC79 ) 5 final                  ^
 ---pagebreak---                                EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
African swine fever is a highly contagious disease transmitted not only by the
animals themselves but by meat and even the scraps very often used to feed pigs
and is thus very dangerous as far as livestock is concerned . There is no
vaccine available and the only effective protective measures , most commonly
slaughter, are very costly .
The presence of African swine fever in Spain is thus a permanently serious threat
to the Community 's pig herd . In the past the disease has three times affected
parts of France and has also reached Italy where it rapidly took on the
proportions of an epidemic . Both countries had to take very severe action to get
rid of the disease .    At the moment it is again present in Sardinia .
Because of the ease with which it is transmitted the best protection for the
Community is to eliminate it totally from adjacent countries , concentrating on
Spain . It is indispensable that this be done as quickly as possible . The
possible extension of the Community makes it essential to clarify the situation
in Spain with regard to the disease . Further Spain 's experience of the disease
makes it the most capable of devising a new plan for progressively eradicating
it by creating disease-free areas which will also serve as buffer areas to
protect the Community .
It is for these reasons that the purpose of this decision is , in response to
Spain 's request , to help her draw up and apply a plan for eradicating African
swine fever . The Community contribution is conditional on certain action being
taken that will guarantee the effectiveness of the plan . The splitting of the
money into annual instalments will enable the implementation of the plan to be
followed and any desirable changes made as the situation develops , the general
aim being to eradicate African swine fever completely from Spain within five
years . .                         ,
In order to ensure that the object being pursued, i.e. eradication of African
swine fever from the entire Iberian Peninsula , is effectively and lastingly
achieved, the Commission could aid an eradication scheme in Portugal . A
concrete proposal on aid for Portugal will be submitted as soon as possible .
 ---pagebreak---                                ProDOsal fer a
                              CO' 'Mf T |_ DFCISION
                  on financial contribution from the Community
                  to Spain for the eradication of African Swine
                  Fever .
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community and in
particular Article A3 thereof ;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ;
Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament ;
Whereas the Community should take all appropriate measures to ensure its protection
against the appearance of African swine fever on its territory ;
whereas to this end the Community has undertaken , and continues to undertake ,
action designed to contain outbreaks of this type of disease far from its frontiers
by helping afflicted countries to strengthen their preventive measures ; whereas
for this purpose Community subsidies have already been granted to Spain ;
Whereas these measures have unquestionably made - an effective contribution to the
protection of Community livestock , especially through the creation and maintenance
of a buffer-zone north of the river Ebro ;
 Whereas , however , in the opinion of the Spanish authorities themselves , the measures
 far implemented must be reinforced if the fundamental objective of eradicating the
 disease from the entire country is to be achieved;
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 2 -
Whereas the Spanish authorities have asked the Community to contribute to the
expenses required for the efficient implementation of a total eradication
programme ;
Whereas a favourable reply should be given to this request by granting a subsidy
                                          to Spain, having regard to the undertaking
given by that country to protect the Community against African swine fever and to
eliminate completely this disease by the end of a five year eradication plan ;
Whereas the establishment of this eradication plan must include certain measures
which guarantee the effectiveness of the action taken , and it must be possible to
adapt these measures to the evolution of the situation , by means of a procedure
establishing close and effective cooperation between the Member States and the
Commission ;
Whereas it is necessary to keep the Member States regularly informed as to the
progress of the action undertaken ;
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 3 -
                                 Article 1
The Community shall contribute financially to the eradication of African
Swine Fever in Spain .
                                 Article 2
The contribution shall be given on the condition that the Spanish authorities
establish an eradication plan approved in accordance with Article 4 , satisfying
the requirements of Article 3 and designed to result in the elimination of the
disease within 5 years .
This plan must be put into operation before 1 July 1979 .
                                  Article 3
The eradication plan mentioned in Article 2 must include the immediate
slaughter and destruction of the pigs on all holdings where a case of African
 Swine Fever is diagnosed and in those holdings which as a. result of an
 epidemiological enquiry can be considered as contaminated and in addition provide for
a ) the disinfection of , and elimination of insects and vermin from the holding
      after the elimination of the pigs ,
 b ) a delay before repopulation of clean holdings and a health control of pigs
      before they are introduced into these holdings ,
 c ) the establishment throughout the country of a stri ct movement control of pigs ,
      including those destined for slaughter ,
 d ) the obligation to slaughter pigs in establishments under permanent veterinary
      control ,
 e ) the creation of disease-free zones and their protection by the development
      of integrated pig-farming enterprises or if necessary the establishment of
      a control of the pig population of these enterprises by means of observation
      quarantine of animals at the place of origin and their integration into the
       herd only after a further period of observation in isolation on arrival of a
       consignment ,
  f ) the protection of disease-free zones by the strict control of the movement of
       pigs into these zones whatever their destination and by a prohibition on the -
       straying of pigs and on pig markets ,
 ---pagebreak--- g ) the compensation given for slaughter to be calculated in such
    a way that farmers are appropriately compensated .
                                  Article 4
After      examination of the plan presented by the Spanish authorities and of
any amendments to be made thereto, the Commission shall decide , in accordance
with the procedure provided for in Article 5 , upon its approval .
                                  Article 5
1 . Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be used , the matter shall
    be referred by the Chairman , either on his own initiative or at the request
    of a Member State to the Standing Veterinary Committee . ( hereinafter referred
    to as 'the Committee 1 ) set up by the Council Decision of 15 October 1968 .
2 . Within the Committee , the votes of the Member States shall be weighted as
    provided in Article 148 ( 2 ) of the Treaty . The Chairman shall not vote .
3 . The Commission representative shall submit a draft of the measures to be
    adopted . The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the measures within a
    period to be determined by the Chairman having regard to the urgency of the
    question submitted for examination .    Opinions shall be delivered by a
    majority of 41 votes .
4 . The Commission shall adopt the measures and shall implement them immediately
    where they are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee . Where they
    are not in accordance with the opinion of the Committee or if no opinion is
    delivered , the Commission shall without delay submit to the Council a
    proposal on the measures to be adopted . The Council shall act thereon
    by a qualified majority .
If the Council has not adopted any measures within three months from the date
on which the proposal was submitted to it , the Commission shall adopt the
proposed measures and apply them immediately'.
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 5 -
                                 Artic le 6
1 . The envisaged assistance of the Community is estimated at 10 million
    European Units of Account for the period under consideration .
2 . Payments shall be made , within the limits of the budgetary appropriations ,
    by annual instalments on presentation to the Commission of the relevant
    supporting documents .
                                 Article 7
1 . The Commission shall follow the development of African Swine Fever in Spain and
    the implementation , of the eradication plan .   It shall regularly inform , at
    least once a year , the Member States within the Standing Veterinary Committee
    of this development , in the light of the information given by the Spanish Authorities
    and of any the reports of Commission experts making on the spot visits .
2 . The Commission may suspend Community aid if it considers this justified
     having regard to the development of the situation and of the results obtained .
3 . Amendments made by the Spanish Authorities to the plan as initially approved must
    also be approved in accordance with Article 4 .
 Done at Brussels ,                                          For the Council
                                                             The President
 ---pagebreak---                         FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Budget heading :
Article 310
Item 3101
Title of heading :
EEC participation in measures to combat African swine fever , in-field operations .
Legal basis :
Council Decision .
                                                 «
Nature of action :
An operation to protect the Community against African swine fever , which has
been present in the Iberian peninsula for many years , has caused damage in France
and is prehaps the origin of other large-scale outbreaks in the Community ,
particularly in Sardinia this year .
Spain, as she has requested, will be given financial assistance for a programme
for the total eradication of the disease .   The programme will require the
Commission 's prior approval and payment of the annual instalments of the aid
will be conditional on rigorous implementation of it .
Cost  in EUA :
Payment of a total aid of 10' million EUA over five years in annual instalments
from 1979 to 1983 .   If it is possible to pay the first instalment in 1979
1 million EUA entered for this measure in Chapter 100 will have to be transferred
to item 3101 .
Calculation :       ' -    ,
The totai aid is roughly 10% of the cost of the program , which on present
estimates will be around 9 000 million pesetas .
 Control :
Possibly an on-the- spot visit ;  report presented to the Standing Veterinary
 Committee .