Commission Decision
of 1 March 2004
amending Council Directive 82/894/EEC on the notification of animal diseases within the Community to include certain equine diseases and certain diseases of bees to the list of notifiable diseases
(notified under document number C(2004) 578)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2004/216/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 82/894/EEC of 21 December 1982 on the notification of animal diseases within the Community(1), and in particular the first indent of Article 5(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) In accordance with Council Directive 90/426/EEC of 26 June 1990 on animal health conditions governing the movement and import from third countries of equidae(2), African horse sickness, vesicular stomatitis, glanders, dourine, equine encephalomyelitis of all types, equine infectious anaemia, rabies and anthrax are defined as compulsorily notifiable diseases.
(2) Annex I to Council Directive 82/894/EEC, listing the diseases the occurrence of which must be notified to the Commission and other Member States, includes in relation to diseases affecting equidae only African horse sickness and vesicular stomatitis.
(3) African horse sickness, vesicular stomatitis, glanders, dourine, equine infectious anaemia and various types of equine encephalomyelitis are diseases of equidae that are listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
(4) Member countries of the OIE are obliged to notify the confirmed first occurrence or reoccurrence of a listed disease, if the country or zone of the country was previously considered to be free from that particular disease, or the disease may have a zoonotic impact and where the disease developments may have implications for international trade.
(5) At present African horse sickness, vesicular stomatitis, glanders, dourine and most of the types of viral equine encephalomyelitis are exotic to the Community. Equine infectious anaemia and some types of equine encephalomyelitis are reported occasionally in certain parts of the Community.
(6) The small hive beetle and the Tropilaelaps mite are exotic parasites affecting honey bees and currently no cases of these diseases are known to occur in the Community. If imported however they could have a devastating effect on the health status of honey bees and on the apiary industry, which is why these diseases were added to the list of Community notifiable diseases.
(7) Prompt notification and information on the occurrence of such diseases within the Community is vital for controlling an emerging disease, as well as for the movement of and trade in equidae and bees, taking also into account the potential zoonotic impact of certain of these diseases.
(8) With the enlargement of the Community and different environmental effects on vectors transmitting some of the above diseases, the situation in the Community in relation to these diseases is susceptible to change.
(9) It appears therefore appropriate to add glanders, dourine, equine infectious anaemia, all types of equine encephalomyelitis, the small hive beetle and the Tropilaelaps mite to Annex I to Council Directive 82/894/EEC and to change Annex II to Council Directive 82/894/EEC to take into account the way in which bees are kept.
(10) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
Annexes I and II to Directive 82/894/EEC are replaced by the text in the Annex to this Decision.
This Decision shall apply from 25 March 2004.
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.