2003/218/EC: Commission Decision of 27 March 2003 on protection and surveillance zones in relation to bluetongue, and on rules applicable to movements of animals in and from those zones and repealing Decision 2001/783/EC (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 864)

Commission Decision
of 27 March 2003
on protection and surveillance zones in relation to bluetongue, and on rules applicable to movements of animals in and from those zones and repealing Decision 2001/783/EC
(notified under document number C(2003) 864)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2003/218/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 2000/75/EC of 20 November 2000(1) laying down specific provisions for the control and eradication of bluetongue and in particular Article 8(2)(d) and (3), Article 9(1)(c) and Article 12, first paragraph, thereof,
Whereas:
(1) In the light of the evolution of the bluetongue situation in four Member States in 2001, Commission Decision 2001/783/EC of 9 November 2001 on protection and surveillance zones in relation to bluetongue and on rules applicable to movements of animals in and from those zones(2), as last amended by Decision 2003/14/EC(3), was adopted, establishing three geographical zones corresponding to specific epidemiological situations. This Decision also provides for the conditions under which exemptions to the restrictions applicable to animal movements laid down by the Directive can be implemented.
(2) As regards Greece, the surveillance programme carried on by Greek authorities has demonstrated no seroconversion on sentinel animals during the year 2002.
(3) Therefore provisions can be made to relax, under certain conditions, the restrictions on movements of live animals of susceptible species from the Greek territory, with the exception of areas which are under threat of direct reinfestation from third countries.
(4) As regards Italy and France, the surveillance programmes carried out in Italy and France have demonstrated that in areas where the vaccination has been correctly implemented, virus circulation has been reduced to a negligible level before the winter season.
(5) Therefore provisions can be made to relax, under certain conditions, restrictions on movements of vaccinated live animals from those areas.
(6) However, the main condition for implementing these relaxation measures should be that the surveillance programme in place does not show that bluetongue virus activity has recommenced in that area, and it is further appropriate to distinguish areas of higher and lower epidemiological risks respectively.
(7) Technical amendments should also be introduced to facilitate movements of live animals inside the territory of the same Member State, in particular for immediate slaughter.
(8) For the sake of clarity it is appropriate to repeal Decision 2001/783/EC and to replace it by the present Decision.
(9) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,