2003/534/EC: Commission Decision of 17 July 2003 amending Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Decision 2000/96/EC as regards communicable diseases listed in those decisions and amending Decision 2002/253/EC as regards the case definitions for communicable diseases (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 2301)

Commission Decision
of 17 July 2003
amending Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Decision 2000/96/EC as regards communicable diseases listed in those decisions and amending Decision 2002/253/EC as regards the case definitions for communicable diseases
(notified under document number C(2003) 2301)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2003/534/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 1998 setting up a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the Community(1), and in particular points (a) and (c) of Article 3 and Article 8 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Decision No 2119/98/EC provides for the establishment of a network at Community level to promote cooperation and coordination regarding the prevention and control of certain categories of communicable diseases referred to in that Decision. Diseases caused by agents specifically engineered for the purpose of maximising morbidity and/or mortality upon deliberate release should be covered by that Decision.
(2) Commission Decision 2000/96/EC of 22 December 1999 on the communicable diseases to be progressively covered by the Community network under Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council(2), lists certain communicable diseases to be covered by epidemiological surveillance in the Community network set up under Decision No 2119/98/EC.
(3) Commission Decision 2002/253/EC of 19 March 2002 laying down case definitions for reporting communicable diseases to the Community network under Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council(3), provides for case definitions for communicable diseases listed in Decision 2000/96/EC.
(4) It is appropriate that the communicable diseases for which case definitions are provided in Decision 2002/253/EC are congruent with the communicable diseases listed in Decision 2000/96/EC.
(5) Smallpox could pose a serious public health threat in the event of deliberate release. This communicable disease should therefore be listed in Annex 1 to Decision 2000/96/EC. A case definition for smallpox should be included in Decision 2002/253/EC.
(6) Although tetanus is not transmissible among humans and only occurs sporadically in the Community, evaluation of vaccine programmes based on surveillance would contribute to the improvement of vaccine policies. Tetanus should therefore be listed as a communicable disease in Decision 2000/96/EC. A case definition for tetanus is already provided for in Decision 2002/253/EC.
(7) A deliberate release of anthrax in the Community would pose a serious risk to public health. Therefore that disease should be listed as a communicable disease in Decision 2000/96/EC. A case definition for anthrax is already provided for in Decision 2002/253/EC.
(8) Transmission of botulism is not restricted to foodborne intoxication and any reference to that mode of contracting the disease should, therefore, be deleted.
(9) It is appropriate that the case definition for diphtheria in Decision 2002/253/EC be reviewed to take into account the latest scientific evidence.
(10) Decision 2000/96/EC defines criteria for the selection of communicable diseases of special areas to be covered by epidemiological surveillance within the Community network set up under Decision No 2119/98/EC. Q-fever and tularaemia would fulfil those criteria in the event of deliberate release. Those diseases also occur naturally within the European Community. Surveillance based on case definitions would offer added benefit. Those communicable diseases should therefore be listed in Decision 2000/96/EC. In addition, case definitions for Q-fever and tularaemia should be included in Decision 2002/253/EC.
(11) Decisions No 2119/98/EC, 2000/96/EC and 2002/253/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.
(12) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee set up by Article 7 of Decision No 2119/98/EC,