Commission Decision of 6 October 2006 amending Annexes I and II to Decision 2002/308/EC establishing lists of approved zones and approved farms with regard to one or more of the fish diseases viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN) (notified under document number C(2006) 4362) (Text with EEA relevance) (2006/674/EC)

Commission Decision

of 6 October 2006

amending Annexes I and II to Decision 2002/308/EC establishing lists of approved zones and approved farms with regard to one or more of the fish diseases viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN)

(notified under document number C(2006) 4362)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/674/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 91/67/EEC of 28 January 1991 concerning the animal health conditions governing the placing on the market of aquaculture animals and products(1), and in particular Articles 5 and 6 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Decision 2002/308/EC(2) establishes the lists of approved zones and approved fish farms situated in non-approved zones with regard to certain fish diseases.

(2) Denmark, Germany and Italy have submitted the justifications for obtaining the status of approved farms in non-approved zones, with regard to viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN), for certain farms in their territory. The documentation provided shows that those farms meet the requirements of Article 6 of Directive 91/67/EEC. They therefore qualify for the status of approved farms in a non-approved zone and should be added to the list of approved farms.

(3) Italy and the United Kingdom have notified the presence of VHS in zones previously considered free of that disease. However, the zones remain free from IHN. Those zones should therefore no longer appear in Decision 2002/308/EC as zones free of VHS.

(4) Germany and Italy have notified the presence of VHS and IHN respectively, in farms previously considered free from those diseases. Those farms should therefore no longer appear in Decision 2002/308/EC as free of the disease in question.

(5) Germany has notified that one farm located in Schleswig-Holstein has ceased its activity. That farm should therefore no longer appear in Annex II to Decision 2002/308/EC.

(6) Commission Decision 2003/634/EC(3) approves and lists programmes submitted by the Member States for the purpose of obtaining the status of approved zones and of approved farms with regard to VHS and IHN.

(7) Cyprus and Italy have notified that certain programmes approved by Decision 2003/634/EC have been finalised. The documentation provided by Cyprus shows that all continental areas in its territory qualify for the status of approved zones and should therefore be added to the list of approved zones. The documentation provided by Italy shows that one farm in its territory qualifies for the status of approved farm in a non-approved zone and should be added to the list of approved farms in non-approved zones.

(8) Decision 2002/308/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(9) 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:

(1)

OJ L 46, 19.2.1991, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 806/2003 (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1).

(2)

OJ L 106, 23.4.2002, p. 28. Decision as last amended by Decision 2006/214/EC (OJ L 80, 17.3.2006, p. 46).

(3)

OJ L 220, 3.9.2003, p. 8. Decision as last amended by Decision 2005/770/EC (OJ L 291, 5.11.2005, p. 33).