2002/160/EC: Commission Decision of 21 February 2002 amending Annex D to Council Directive 90/426/EEC with regard to diagnostic tests for African horse sickness (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2002) 556)

Commission Decision
of 21 February 2002
amending Annex D to Council Directive 90/426/EEC with regard to diagnostic tests for African horse sickness
(notified under document number C(2002) 556)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2002/160/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
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), as last amended by Decision 2001/298/EC(2), and in particular Article 23 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Annex D to Directive 90/426/EEC describes the complement fixation test to be carried out for the diagnosis of African horse sickness.
(2) In November 2000 the Community reference laboratory in Algete, Spain, hosted the annual meeting of the national reference laboratories for African horse sickness of EU Member States. During this meeting scientific evidence was presented that the complement fixation test currently described in Annex D to Directive 90/426/EEC has serious limitations in particular because it is only suitable for detecting antibodies after a recent infection or vaccination. Furthermore, the test is in practice replaced by modern ELISA tests in almost all laboratories in the Community and also in major exporting countries.
(3) The internationally accepted laboratory tests for the detection of antibodies against the African horse sickness virus are described in the Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines(3) of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE); however, the current edition mentions only one of the ELISA tests available.
(4) Therefore, it appears appropriate to modify Annex D to Directive 90/426/EEC so as to take into account technical developments and internationally approved standards.
(5) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,