2002/304/EC: Commission Decision of 19 April 2002 approving programmes with a view to obtaining the status of approved zones and of approved farms in non-approved zones with regard to one or more of the fish diseases viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN) (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2002) 1435)

Commission Decision
of 19 April 2002
approving programmes with a view to obtaining the status of approved zones and of approved farms in non-approved zones with regard to one or more of the fish diseases viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN)
(notified under document number C(2002) 1435)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2002/304/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 91/67/EEC of 28 January 1991 concerning the animal health conditions governing the placing on the market of aquaculture animals and products(1), as last amended by Directive 98/45/EC(2), and in particular Article 10(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) A Member State may submit to the Commission a programme designed to enable it subsequently to initiate the procedures for a zone or a farm situated in a non-approved zone, to obtain the status of approved zone or approved farm as regards one or more of the fish diseases viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN).
(2) The programmes concerning VHS in certain areas of Denmark were approved by Commission Decision 96/221/EC(3), as amended by Decision 2001/485/EC(4).
(3) The programmes concerning VHS and IHN in certain areas of Germany were approved by Commission Decision 2000/312/EC(5).
(4) The programmes concerning VHS and IHN in certain areas of France were approved by Commission Decision 94/863/EC(6).
(5) The programmes concerning VHS and IHN in Italy, with a view to obtaining the status of approved zones as well as of approved farms situated in non-approved zones, were approved by Commission Decision 2001/576/EC(7).
(6) The programme concerning VHS and IHN applied in Finland was approved by Commission Decision 95/479/EC(8).
(7) Spain has submitted a programme, with a view to obtaining approved zone status as regards VHS and IHN, for the Autonomous Community of La Rioja.
(8) Italy has submitted programmes, with a view to obtaining approved zone status as regards VHS and IHN, for the zones the Autonomous Province of Bolzano and the river Astico.
(9) The programmes submitted by Spain and Italy specify the geographical location of the zones and farms concerned, the measures to be taken by the official services, the procedures to be followed by the approved laboratories, the prevalence of the diseases concerned and the measures to combat these diseases where detected.
(10) The programmes submitted have been found to comply with Article 10 of Directive 91/67/EEC. These programmes should therefore be approved.
(11) For the sake of clarity, it is appropriate to draw up single lists of all zones and farms respectively, in which an approved programme is applied with a view to obtaining approved status as regards one or more of the fish diseases VHS and IHN.
(12) Decisions 94/863/EC, 95/479/EC, 96/221/EC, 2000/312/EC and 2001/576/EC should therefore be repealed and replaced by this Decision.
(13) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,