Commission Decision of 13 October 2006 amending Decision 2005/393/EC as regards the conditions applicable to movements from or through restricted zones in relation to bluetongue (notified under document number C(2006) 4813) (Text with EEA relevance) (2006/693/EC)

Article 1 U.K.

Decision 2005/393/EC is amended as follows:

1.

Article 2a is replaced by the following:

‘Article 2a Derogation from the movement ban

By way of derogation from Article 6(1)(c) of Directive 2000/75/EC, the following animals shall be exempted from the ban on movement:

(a)

animals for direct transport to a slaughterhouse situated within the restricted zone around the holding of dispatch;

(b)

animals destined for a holding which is situated in the restricted zone around the holding of dispatch; and

(i)

within a radius of 20 km around an infected holding; or

(ii)

outside a radius of 20 km around an infected holding, subject to:

• prior approvals of and compliance with any animal health guarantees required by the competent authorities of the place of the holdings of dispatch and destination concerning measures against the spread of the bluetongue virus, and protection against attacks by vectors, or

• an agent identification test as set out in Section A(1)(c) of Annex II carried out with negative results on a sample taken within 48 hours of dispatch from the animal concerned which must be protected from any attack by vectors at least from the time that sample was taken and must not leave the holding of destination, except for direct slaughter.’

2.

In Article 3, the introductory phrase of paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:

‘Where in an epidemiological relevant area of the restricted zones more than 40 days have elapsed from the date when the vector ceased to be active, the competent authority shall grant exemptions from the exit ban for domestic movements of the following:’

3.

In Article 4, the introductory phrase and the introductory phrase in point (a) are replaced by the following:

‘Movements of animals from a restricted zone for immediate slaughter within the same Member State shall be exempted from the exit ban by the competent authority if:

(a)

a case-by-case risk assessment was carried out with favourable results on the possible contact between the animals and the vectors during transport to the slaughterhouse, taking into consideration:’

4.

Article 5 is amended as follows:

(a)

paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

‘1. Movements of animals, their semen, ova and embryos from the restricted zones shall be exempted from the exit ban for intra-Community trade by the competent authority if:

(a) the animals, their semen, ova and embryos comply with the conditions laid down in Articles 3 or 4; and

(b) except in the case of frozen semen, the Member State of destination gives its approval prior to the movement.’;

(b)

the following paragraph 3 is added:

‘3. This Article shall not apply to the movement of animals in accordance with the derogation provided for in Article 2a.’

5.

Annexes I and II are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.