2006/705/EC: Commission Decision of 20 October 2006 approving the plan for preventive vaccination against avian influenza of subtype H5 in certain holdings in North Rhine-Westphalia submitted by Germany under Council Directive 2005/94/EC (notified under document number C(2006) 4906)

21.10.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 291/38
COMMISSION DECISION
of 20 October 2006
approving the plan for preventive vaccination against avian influenza of subtype H5 in certain holdings in North Rhine-Westphalia submitted by Germany under Council Directive 2005/94/EC
(notified under document number C(2006) 4906)
(Only the German text is authentic)
(2006/705/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 2005/94/EC of 20 December 2005 on Community measures for the control of avian influenza and repealing Directive 92/40/EEC (1), and in particular, Article 57(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Germany has recently experienced a high number of positive findings of highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus of subtype H5N1 in wild birds. Outbreaks of the disease have also occurred in a poultry holding and in a zoo.
(2) Vaccination against avian influenza of subtypes H5 and H7 may be a valuable tool for disease prevention and control. However, it has not yet been applied on poultry holdings in Germany.
(3) Germany wishes to gather further data on the use of vaccination by means of a large-scale field study.
(4) On 24 August 2006 Germany has submitted for approval a preventive vaccination plan to be carried out in three commercial holdings located in North Rhine-Westphalia in the framework of a study aimed at assessing the protective efficacy of an avian influenza vaccine of subtype H5 by applying vaccination to poultry kept under normal field conditions.
(5) The preventive vaccination plan submitted contains the information required by Article 56(2) of Directive 2005/94/EC and is in accordance with a Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animal (DIVA) strategy. In the light of an assessment of the plan and discussions with Germany it appears appropriate to approve the plan.
(6) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,