Commission Decision

of 12 March 2008

amending Decision 2003/135/EC as regards the eradication and emergency vaccination plans for classical swine fever in feral pigs in certain areas of the Länder of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany)

(notified under document number C(2008) 887)

(Only the German and French texts are authentic)

(2008/220/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 2001/89/EC of 23 October 2001 on Community measures for the control of classical swine fever1, and in particular Article 16(1) and 20(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Commission Decision 2003/135/EC of 27 February 2003 on the approval of the plans for the eradication of classical swine fever and the emergency vaccination of feral pigs against classical swine fever in Germany, in the Länder of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland2 was adopted as one of a number of measures to combat classical swine fever.

(2)

Germany has informed the Commission about the recent evolution of that disease in feral pigs in certain areas of the Länder of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia.

(3)

That information indicates that classical swine fever in feral pigs has been eradicated in certain areas of those Länder. Accordingly, the eradication and emergency vaccination plans for classical swine fever in feral pigs no longer need to be applied in those areas.

(4)

Decision 2003/135/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5)

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: