Article 23U.K.Disease control centres and expert groups
1.Member States shall ensure that a fully functional national disease control centre can be immediately established in the event of classical swine fever outbreaks.
2.The national disease control centre shall direct and monitor the operations of the local disease control centres referred to in paragraph 3. It shall be responsible for, inter alia:
(a)defining the necessary control measures;
(b)ensuring the prompt and efficient implementation of the measures referred to above by the local disease control centres;
(c)deploying staff and other resources to local disease control centres;
(d)providing information to the Commission, to other Member States, the national veterinary organisations, national authorities and the agricultural and trading bodies;
(e)when indicated, organising an emergency vaccination and defining vaccination zones;
(f)liaising with diagnostic laboratories;
(g)liaising with the press and other media;
(h)liaising with the police authorities to ensure specific legal measures.
3.Member States shall ensure that fully functional local disease control centres can be established immediately in the event of classical swine fever outbreaks.
4.Certain functions of the national disease control centre may, however, be delegated to the local disease control centre intervening at the administrative level provided for in Article 2(2)(p) of Directive 64/432/EEC or at a higher level, provided that that does not compromise the objectives of the national disease control centre.
5.Member States shall create a permanently operational expert group to maintain expertise in order to assist the competent authority in ensuring disease preparedness.
In case of an outbreak the expert group shall assist the competent authority at least in:
(a)the epidemiological enquiry;
(b)sampling, testing and interpretation of results of laboratory tests;
(c)establishment of disease control measures.
6.Member States shall ensure that the national and local disease control centres and the expert group have staff, facilities and equipment including communication systems as necessary, and a clear and effective chain of command and management to ensure the prompt implementation of the disease control measures laid down in this Directive.
Details about staff, facilities, equipment, chain of command and management of the national and local disease control centres and of the expert group shall be laid down in the contingency plans referred to in Article 22.
7.Further criteria and requirements about the function and duties of the national disease control centres, local disease control centres and expert groups may be laid down in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 26(2).