Council Directive 2006/88/ECShow full title

Article 49 Disease-free Member State

1. A Member State shall be declared free of one or more of the non-exotic diseases listed in Part II of Annex IV in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 62(2), if paragraph 2 of this Article is complied with and:

(a) none of the species susceptible to the disease(s) in question is present in its territory;

or

(b) the pathogen is known not to be able to survive in the Member State, and in its water source;

or

(c) the Member State meets the conditions laid down in Part I of Annex V.

2. Where neighbouring Member States, or water catchment areas shared with neighbouring Member States, are not declared disease-free, the Member State shall establish appropriate buffer zones in its territory. The demarcation of buffer zones shall be such that they protect the disease-free Member State from passive introduction of the disease.

3. The specific requirements for surveillance, buffer zones, sampling and diagnostic methods that shall be used by Member States to grant disease-free status in accordance with this Article shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 62(2).