Commission Regulation (EC) No 1168/2006 of  31 July 2006  implementing Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 as regards a Community target for the reduction of the prevalence of certain salmonella serotypes in laying hens of  Gallus gallus  and amending Regulation (EC) No 1003/2005   (Text with EEA relevance)

1.8.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 211/4
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1168/2006
of 31 July 2006
implementing Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 as regards a Community target for the reduction of the prevalence of certain salmonella serotypes in laying hens of Gallus gallus and amending Regulation (EC) No 1003/2005
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 November 2003 on the control of salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents (1) and, in particular Article 4(1) and Article 13 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) The purpose of Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 is to ensure that proper and effective measures are taken to detect and control salmonella and other zoonotic agents at all relevant stages of production, processing and distribution, particularly at the level of primary production, in order to reduce their prevalence and the risk they pose to public health.
(2) Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 provides for a Community target is to be established for the reduction of the prevalence of all salmonella serotypes with public health significance in laying hens of Gallus gallus at the level of primary production. Such reduction is important in view of the strict measures which are to apply to infected flocks in accordance with that Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 from December 2009 on. In particular, eggs originating from flocks with unknown salmonella status, that are suspected of being infected or from infected flocks may be used for human consumption only if treated in a manner that guarantees the elimination of salmonella serotypes with public health significance in accordance with Community legislation on food hygiene.
(3) Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 provides that the Community target is to include a numerical expression of the maximum percentage of epidemiological units remaining positive and/or the minimum percentage of reduction in the number of epidemiological units remaining positive, the maximum time limit within which the target must be achieved and the definition of the testing schemes necessary to verify achievement of the target. It is also to include a definition, where relevant, of serotypes with public health significance.
(4) In order to set the Community target, comparable data on the prevalence of the concerned salmonella serotypes in laying hens of Gallus gallus in Member States have been collected in accordance with Commission Decision 2004/665/EC of 22 September 2004 concerning a baseline study on the prevalence of salmonella in laying flocks of Gallus gallus
 (2).
(5) Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 provides that for a transitional period of three years, the Community target for laying hens of Gallus gallus is to cover Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium.
(6) In order to verify achievement of the Community target, it is necessary to organise repeated sampling of flocks.
(7) In accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was consulted on the setting of the Community target for laying hens of Gallus gallus.
(8) Since the adoption of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1003/2005 of 30 June 2005 implementing Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 as regards a Community target for the reduction of the prevalence of certain salmonella serotypes in breeding flocks of Gallus gallus and amending Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003, alternative analysis methods have been developed and validated. In addition salmonella strains detected in breeding flocks should be stored for future phagetyping and anti-microbial susceptibility testing. Therefore Regulation (EC) No 1003/2005 should be amended accordingly.
(9) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,