2008/650/EC: Commission Decision of 30 July 2008 amending Council Directive 82/894/EEC on the notification of animal diseases within the Community to include certain diseases in the list of notifiable diseases and to delete porcine enterovirus encephalomyelitis from that list (notified under document number C(2008) 3943) (Text with EEA relevance)

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 Article 5(2) thereof,

Whereas:

1. Directive 82/894/EEC on the notification of animal diseases within the Community lays down the criteria for the notification of those animal diseases, the occurrence of which must be notified by the affected Member State to the Commission and to the other Member States.

2. Prompt notification and information on the occurrence of these diseases within the Community is vital for controlling these diseases, as well as for the movement of and trade in live animals and animal products.

3. In accordance with Council Directive 2006/88/EC of 24 October 2006 on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and products thereof, and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in aquatic animals⁽²⁾, Member States shall, in certain cases, notify the confirmation of the aquaculture animal diseases listed in Annex IV to that Directive.

4. Annex I to 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 fish only infectious haematopoietic necrosis, infectious salmon anaemia and viral haemorrhagic septicaemia.

5. According to Annex IV of Directive 2006/88/EC, Epizootic haematopoietic necrosis, epizootic ulcerative syndrome, infection with Bonamia exitiosa, infection with Bonamia ostreae, infection with Marteilia refringens, infection with Microcytos mackini, infection with Perkinsus marinus, Koi herpes virus disease, Taura syndrome, White spot disease and Yellowhead disease are also defined as notifiable diseases.

6. It is therefore necessary to add these diseases to Annex I of Directive 82/894/EEC and to adapt Annex II of that Council Directive to take into account certain particulars relating to aquaculture animals.

7. Council Directive 2002/60/EC⁽³⁾ deleted Teschen disease (porcine enterovirus encephalomyelitis) from the list of diseases laid down in Annex I to Council Directive 92/119/EEC⁽⁴⁾ and thereby this disease is no longer compulsorily notifiable to the Member States’ competent authorities.

8. It is therefore appropriate to delete this disease from the list of diseases in Annex I of Directive 82/894/EEC.

9. 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: