2003/135/EC: Commission Decision of 27 February 2003 on the approval of the plans for the eradication of classical swine fever and the emergency vaccination of feral pigs against classical swine fever in Germany, in the federal states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 626)

Commission Decision
of 27 February 2003
on the approval of the plans for the eradication of classical swine fever and the emergency vaccination of feral pigs against classical swine fever in Germany, in the federal states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland
(notified under document number C(2003) 626)
(Only the German and French texts are authentic)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2003/135/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 2001/89/EC of 23 October 2001 on Community measures for the control of classical swine fever(1), and in particular Article 16(1), Article 20(2), Article 25(3) and Article 29(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) In the last decade classical swine fever was confirmed in the feral pig population in Germany in the federal States of Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Lower-Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Saxony Anhalt.
(2) Plans to eradicate classical swine fever in the feral pig population of Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Lower-Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony Anhalt were approved by Commission Decisions 1999/39/EC of 21 December 1998 approving the plan presented by Germany for the eradication of classical swine fever in feral pigs in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Lower Saxony and repealing Commission Decision 96/552/EC(2), 1999/335/EC of 7 May 1999 approving the plan presented by Germany for the eradication of classical swine fever in feral pigs in Baden Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate(3) and Commission Decision 2000/281/EC of 31 March 2000 approving the plan presented by Germany for the eradication of classical swine fever in feral pigs in Saxony-Anhalt(4).
(3) Plans for the eradication of classical swine fever in feral pigs in North Rhine-Westphalia and for the emergency vaccination of feral pigs against classical swine fever in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland were approved by Commission Decision 2002/161/EC of 22 February 2002 approving the plans submitted by Germany for the eradication of classical swine fever in feral pigs in Rhineland-Pfalz and Saarland(5), as last amended by Decision 2002/791/EC(6).
(4) Germany has submitted information suggesting that classical swine fever has been successfully eradicated from Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony Anhalt. It is therefore appropriate to repeal the measures adopted by the Commission to control the disease in these areas of Germany.
(5) Measures to control classical swine fever are still necessary in Lower-Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.
(6) Germany has submitted updated plans for the eradication of classical swine fever in feral pigs from Lower-Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate to bring them in line with Directive 2001/89/EC.
(7) In the light of the epidemiological situation, Germany has submitted an amended plan for the emergency vaccination of feral pigs in Rhineland-Palatinate and a plan for the emergency vaccination of feral pigs in Lower-Saxony.
(8) The newly submitted plans for eradication and emergency vaccination have been examined and found to comply with the provisions of Directive 2001/89/EC.
(9) The German authorities have authorised the use of a live attenuated vaccine against classical swine fever (C strain) to be used for the immunisation of feral pigs by means of oral baits.
(10) The German authorities will continue an intensive surveillance on classical swine fever in feral pigs throughout Germany in the framework of the programme for the eradication and monitoring of classical swine fever approved by Commission Decision 2002/943/EC of 28 November 2002 approving programmes for the eradication and monitoring of certain animal diseases and for the prevention of zoonoses presented by the Member States for the year 2003(7).
(11) The German authorities have undertaken: (i) to keep under continuous review the measures in place to control classical swine fever in Germany in strict cooperation with the Commission services, in the light of the evolution in the epidemiological situation; (ii) to take into full account the findings and recommendations of the inspection of the Commission's Food and Veterinary Office, which has been carried out in Rhineland-Palatinate in January 2003(8); and (iii) to improve the collection of demographic data on the feral pigs and the epidemiological information on which the eradication and vaccination plans which are approved by this Decision are based. The German authorities shall amend the plans approved by this Decision and submit them to the Commission for further approval, as necessary.
(12) Classical swine fever has been confirmed in the feral pig population in France, at the border with Germany. The eradication plan submitted by France was approved by Commission Decision 2002/626/EC of 25 July 2002 approving the plan submitted by France for the eradication of classical swine fever from feral pigs in Moselle and Meurthe-et-Moselle(9).
(13) For the sake of clarity it is appropriate to adopt a single Decision: (i) confirming the approval of the plans submitted by Germany for the eradication of classical swine fever in feral pigs in North Rhine-Westphalia and Saarland; (ii) approving the newly submitted plans for the eradication of classical swine fever in feral pigs from Lower-Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate; (iii) confirming the approval of the plans for the emergency vaccination of feral pigs against classical swine fever in North Rhine-Westphalia and Saarland; (iv) approving the newly submitted plans for the emergency vaccination of feral pigs against classical swine fever in Lower-Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate; (v) establishing conditions to ensure, in the border areas concerned, the consistency of the measures to be implemented by Germany with the measures applied by France; and (vi) repealing Decisions 1999/39/EC, 1999/335/EC, 2000/281/EC and 2002/161/EC.
(14) For the sake of transparency it is appropriate indicate in the present Decision the geographical areas where the eradication and emergency vaccination plans shall be implemented.
(15) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,