Council Decision

of 20 March 2000

designating a specific institute responsible for establishing the criteria necessary for standardising the serological tests to monitor the effectiveness of rabies vaccines

(2000/258/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements governing trade in, and imports into, the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A(1) to Directive 90/425/EEC(1), and in particular Article 10(6) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1) Directive 92/65/EEC provides for an alternative system to quarantine for the entry of certain domestic carnivores into the territory of certain Member States free from rabies. That system requires checks on the effectiveness of the vaccination of those animals by titration of antibodies.

(2) In order to guarantee an effective system of monitoring the laboratories which will carry out these analyses, it is appropriate to establish a system of Community approval of such laboratories.

(3) The approval of those laboratories should be coordinated by a Community reference laboratory for those matters.

(4) The Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des aliments de Nancy (French Food Safety Agency, Nancy) laboratory meets the conditions required for designation as Community reference laboratory for those matters.

(5) That reference laboratory may receive Community aid as provided for in Article 28 of Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field(2).

(6) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission(3),

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

[F1Article 1U.K.

The laboratory at Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB is designated as the institute responsible for establishing the criteria necessary for standardising the serological tests to monitor the effectiveness of rabies vaccines within the United Kingdom in accordance with the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals, as amended from time to time.]

Article 2U.K.

The duties of the laboratory referred to in Article 1 are set out in Annex II.

[F2Article 3U.K.

1.On the basis of a favourable result of the appraisal of an applicant laboratory in a [F3part of Great Britain, any relevant competent authority] may authorise the applicant laboratory to carry out the serological tests to monitor the effectiveness of rabies vaccines.

[F4 The Secretary of State, with the consent of the Welsh Ministers and the Scottish Ministers must draw up, keep up to date and publish a list of those laboratories that have been so authorised.]

2.On the basis of a favourable result of the appraisal of an applicant laboratory in a third country F5..., and following an application for approval from the competent authority of the third country of origin of the applicant laboratory, such laboratory shall be authorised F6... to carry out serological tests to monitor the effectiveness of rabies vaccines.

2A.[F7In this Article and in Annex 2—

(a)the relevant competent authorities” means—

(i)in relation to England, the Secretary of State;

(ii)in relation to Scotland, the Scottish Ministers;

(iii)in relation to Wales, the Welsh Ministers;

(b)third country” means any country other than the United Kingdom.]

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Textual Amendments

F9Article 4U.K.

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F10Article 5U.K.

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F11Article 5aU.K.

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F12Article 6U.K.

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F13ANNEX IU.K.

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[F2ANNEX IIU.K.

[F14The institute mentioned in Article 1] shall:

(1)

OJ L 268, 14.9.1992, p. 54. Directive as last amended by Commission Decision 95/176/EC (OJ L 117, 24.5.1995, p. 23).

(2)

OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. Decision at last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999 (OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 103).