91/666/EEC: Council Decision of 11 December 1991 establishing Community reserves of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines

COUNCIL DECISION
of 11 December 1991
establishing Community  reserves of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines
(91/666/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE  EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 85/511/EEC of 18 November 1985 introducing Community measures  for the control of foot-and-mouth disease (1), as amended by Decision 90/423/EEC (2), and in  particular Article 14 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas by 1 January 1992 all Member States must have discontinued routine vaccination against  foot-and-mouth disease in their territory;
Whereas, however, in view of the high density of susceptible species in some parts of the  Community, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of emergency vaccination in a limited  area, in circumstances where slaughter of the entire herd may not be sufficient to eliminate the  virus;
Whereas Community reserves of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine should be established, based on stocks  of concentrated inactivated antigen capable of being quickly converted into vaccine for emergency  use;
Whereas the antigen should be stored at four separate locations; whereas facilities for  formulation, bottling and distribution must also be provided;
Whereas the criteria for the supply and storage of antigen and its conversion into vaccine should  be established;
Whereas the national institutes responsible for maintaining the reserve of antigen should cooperate  with the Community Coordinating Institute for foot-and-mouth disease vaccines designated by  Decision 91/665/EEC (3) in order to ensure the potency, safety and stability of the antigen, and  vaccines produced therefrom, and to ensure that the quantity and sub-types kept are appropriate to  the risk, on the basis, in particular, of information supplied by the reference laboratory for the  identification of foot-and-mouth disease virus designated by Decision 89/531/EEC (4);
Whereas Article 14 of Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary  field (5), as amended by Decision 91/133/EEC (6), provides that the establishment of a Community  reserve of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines may be eligible for Community aid,