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.
[X13. The specific requirements for surveillance, buffer zones, sampling and diagnostic methods that shall be used by Member States to declare disease-free status in accordance with this Article shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 62(2).]
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