The purpose of this Decision is to demarcate the global geographic areas where protection and surveillance zones (the restricted zones) shall be established by the Member States as provided for in Article 8(1) of Directive 2000/75/EC.
Commission Decision of 23 May 2005 on protection and surveillance zones in relation to bluetongue and conditions applying to movements from or through these zones (notified under document number C(2005) 1478) (Text with EEA relevance) (2005/393/EC)
Commission Decision of 23 May 2005 on protection and surveillance zones in relation to bluetongue and conditions applying to movements from or through these zones (notified under document number C(2005) 1478) (Text with EEA relevance) (2005/393/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 2000/75/EC of 20 November 2000 laying down specific provisions for the control and eradication of bluetongue(1), and in particular Article 8(2)(d), Article 8(3), Article 9(1)(c), and the third paragraph of Article 19 thereof,
Whereas:
Commission Decision 2003/828/EC(2) provides for the demarcation of the global geographical areas where protection and surveillance zones (restricted zones) are to be established by the Member States in relation to bluetongue. It also sets out the conditions for exempting certain movements of animals, their sperm, ova and embryos from the exit ban provided for in Directive 2000/75/EC (the exit ban).
Following the evolution of the outbreak or new invasions of bluetongue in the Community from third countries, Decision 2003/828/EC has been amended several times to adapt the demarcation of those zones to new animal health conditions.
For the sake of clarity of Community legislation, it is appropriate to repeal Decision 2003/828/EC and to replace it by this Decision.
Pursuant to Directive 2000/75/EC, the demarcation of protection and surveillance zones must take account of geographical, administrative, ecological and epizootiological factors connected with bluetongue and of the control arrangements. Taking account of those factors and arrangements as well as the information submitted by the Member States, it is appropriate to maintain the zones as set out in Decision 2003/828/EC, except in the case of Greece and Portugal.
According to the latest scientific information available, movements of vaccinated animals may be considered safe irrespective of the virus circulation at the place of origin or the vectors activity at the place of destination. Therefore, exemptions from the exit ban for domestic movements as set out in Decision 2003/828/EC should be amended to take account of that scientific information.
Decision 2003/828/EC includes Greece in the global geographical areas where restricted zones are to be established. Greece has submitted a duly substantiated request to the Commission in accordance with Directive 2000/75/EC requesting that Greece be deleted from the list of global geographical areas set out in Decision 2003/828/EC. Accordingly, it is appropriate to delete Greece from that list.
Portugal has submitted a duly substantiated request to change the demarcation of the restricted zones set out in Decision 2003/828/EC as regards that Member State. Taking into account the geographical, administrative, ecological and epizootiological factors connected with bluetongue in the areas concerned in Portugal, the demarcation of those zones should be amended.
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1 Subject matter
The purpose of this Decision is also to set out the conditions for exempting from the exit ban laid down in Article 9(1)(c) and Article 10(1) of Directive 2000/75/EC (the exit ban) certain movements of animals, their sperm, ova and embryos, from those restricted zones and through those restricted zones (transit).
This Decision shall not apply to movements inside the restricted zones referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 2, except as provided for in other Articles.
Article 2 Demarcation of restricted zones
Restricted zones shall be demarcated within the global geographical areas listed in the zones set out in Annex I.
Exemptions from the exit ban for those restricted zones shall only take place in accordance with Articles 3, 4, 5 and 6.
In the case of restricted zone E, movements of live animals of ruminant species between Spain and Portugal shall be subject to authorisation by the competent authorities concerned on the base of a bilateral agreement.
In the case of restricted zone F, movements of live animals of species susceptible to bluetongue and their semen, ova and embryos within the zone shall be allowed. However, for Member States which have established a surveillance zone, movements into that zone can only take place after the approval of the competent authority of the place of destination.
Furthermore this Decision shall not apply to movements of semen, ova and embryos collected or produced before 1 May 2006.
Article 2a Derogation from the movement ban
By way of derogation from Article 6(1)(c) of Directive 2000/75/EC, the following animals shall be exempted from the ban on movement:
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animals for direct transport to a slaughterhouse situated within the restricted zone around the holding of dispatch;
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animals destined for a holding which is situated in the restricted zone around the holding of dispatch; and
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within a radius of 20 km around an infected holding; or
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outside a radius of 20 km around an infected holding, subject to:
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prior approvals of and compliance with any animal health guarantees required by the competent authorities of the place of the holdings of dispatch and destination concerning measures against the spread of the bluetongue virus, and protection against attacks by vectors, or
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an agent identification test as set out in Section A(1)(c) of Annex II carried out with negative results on a sample taken within 48 hours of dispatch from the animal concerned which must be protected from any attack by vectors at least from the time that sample was taken and must not leave the holding of destination, except for direct slaughter.
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Article 3 Exemption from the exit ban for domestic movements
1.
Domestic movements of animals, their sperm, ova and embryos, from a restricted zone shall be exempted from the exit ban provided that the animals, their sperm, ova and embryos comply with the conditions set out in Annex II or that they comply with paragraphs 2 or 3 of this Article.
2.
Domestic movements as referred to in paragraph 1 shall be exempted from the exit ban by the competent authority if:
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the animals originate from a herd vaccinated according to a vaccination programme adopted by the competent authority; and
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the animals:
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have been vaccinated more than 30 days but less than twelve months before the date of movement against the serotype(s) present or possibly present in an epidemiologically relevant area of origin; or
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are less than two months old at the date of movement and are destined for a holding for fattening, such holding must be protected against vector attacks and registered by the competent authority for the purpose of fattening.
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3.
Where in an epidemiological relevant area of the restricted zones more than 40 days have elapsed from the date when the vector ceased to be active, the competent authority shall grant exemptions from the exit ban for domestic movements of the following:
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animals which are destined for holdings registered for this purpose by the competent authority of the holding of destination and which may only be moved from such holdings for direct slaughter;
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animals which are serologically (ELISA or AGID*) negative or serologically positive but virologically (PCR*) negative; or
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animals born after the date of cessation of the vector’s activity.
The competent authority shall only grant the exemptions provided for in this paragraph during the period of cessation of the vector’s activity.
Where on the base of the epidemiosurveillance programme, as provided for in Article 9(1)(b) of Directive 2000/75/EC it is detected that the vector’s activity in the restricted zone concerned has restarted, the competent authority shall ensure that such exemptions no longer applies.
4.
A channeling procedure shall be set up, under the control of the competent authority, to ensure that animals moved under the conditions provided for in this Article, are not subsequently moved to another Member State.