Commission Regulation (EC) No 213/2009 of 18 March 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 1003/2005 as regards the control and testing of Salmonella in breeding flocks of Gallus gallus and turkeys (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 5(6) 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, and particularly at the level of primary production, in order to reduce their prevalence and the risk they pose to public health.

2. Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003, specific requirements concerning breeding flocks of Gallus gallus apply whenever certain analysis of samples indicates the presence of Salmonella Enteritidis or Salmonella Typhimurium in such flocks. The purpose of these requirements is to prevent the spread of infection in the egg and broiler meat production chain, namely from breeders to their progeny. Similar requirements should be applied to turkey production in order to prevent the transmission of infection in the turkey meat production chain. Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 should therefore be amended accordingly.

3. 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⁽²⁾ lays down a Community target for the reduction of the prevalence of certain Salmonella spp. in breeding flocks of Gallus gallus. In addition, the Annex to that Regulation sets out the testing scheme necessary to verify the achievement of the Community target.

4. Pursuant to Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 1003/2005, the Commission should review the Community target in the light of the results of the first year of implementation of the national control programmes approved in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003. The year 2007 was the first year of implementation.

5. Pursuant to Directive 2003/99/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 November 2003 on the monitoring of zoonoses and zoonotic agents⁽³⁾, Member States have transmitted the results of their monitoring for the year 2007 to the Commission. In the light of those results, it does not appear necessary to amend the Community target.

6. In view of the efficient allocation of resources, Member States that have achieved the Community target should be permitted to reduce the number of official controls. Regulation (EC) No 1003/2005 should therefore be amended accordingly.

7. A review of the testing scheme set out in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1003/2005 revealed difficulties in the implementation of sampling instructions and new information on the sensitivity of testing schemes has become available. The testing scheme should thus be amended.

8. Regulations (EC) Nos 2160/2003 and 1003/2005 should therefore 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,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: