COMMISSION DECISION of 26 March 1993 concerning certain protection measures, with regard to swine vesicular disease
(93/178/EEC)THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market (1), as last  amended by Council Directive 92/118/EEC (2) and, in particular, Article 10 (4) thereof,
Whereas the swine vesicular disease situation within the Community in February 1993 resulted in establishing interim protective measures by the adoption of Commission Decision 93/128/EEC of 26 February 1993 concerning certain protection measures, with  regard to swine vesicular disease, in the Netherlands and Italy (3);
Whereas general protective measures must be introduced by each Member State; whereas, however, the special situation in the Netherlands and Italy has made it necessary to adopt specific measures; whereas such measures have been defined by Commission  Decision;
Whereas under certain circumstances swine vesicular disease virus infections may occur undetected due to lack of clinical signs of disease;
Whereas a serological screening of pigs for antibodies to swine vesicular disease virus would provide information on previous undetected infections; whereas screening for antibodies should be carried out in all Member States during a period of three  months;
Whereas the swine vesicular disease virus can remain viable outside the pig for a considerable period of time; whereas the said virus, present in vehicles used for transportation of pigs, can infect the pigs being transported;
Whereas a thorough and repeated cleaning and disinfection of the transportation network engaged in transport of pigs should reduce the risk for spreading swine vesicular disease when pigs are being transported;
Whereas measures to control swine vesicular disease were introduced by Council Directive 92/119/EEC of 17 December 1992, introducing general Community measures for the control of certain animal disease and specific measures relating to swine vesicular  disease (4);
Whereas the measures provided for in the said Directive shall apply in all Member States not later than 1 October 1993;
Whereas in case of outbreaks of swine vesicular disease Member States shall apply disease control and eradication measures; whereas the measures applied should include certain of the measures already agreed notably in Directive 92/119/EEC;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,
1. Member States shall carry out a serological screening of pigs for antibodies to swine vesicular disease virus, in accordance with the requirements of the Annex. The results obtained from the serological screening shall be submitted every  two weeks to the Commission. The screening shall be submitted every two weeks to the Commission. The screening shall be completed by 1 August 1993.
2. The Commission will analyse the results obtained from the screening for antibodies referred to in paragraph 1 and may amend this Decision in the light of developments.
3. All Member States shall:
- arrange that all parts of the transportation network including assembly points, engaged in transport of pigs are undergoing thorough and repeated cleaning and disinfection,
- arrange in case of outbreaks of swine vesicular disease that the control and eradication measures applied are those laid down in Articles 4, 5 and 10 and points 4, 7 and 8 of Chapter 1, Annex II of Council Directive 92/119/EEC.
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.