Directive 64/432/EEC lays down rules applicable to intra-Community trade in certain animals. Article 9 of that Directive provides for compulsory national programmes for certain contagious disease, including Aujeszky’s disease, to be submitted to the Commission for approval. In addition, Article 10 of Directive 64/432/EC provides for Member States to submit documentation to the Commission concerning the status of those diseases in their territory.

A programme for the eradication of Aujeszky’s disease has been implemented in France for several years and the departments of Côtes-d’Armor, Finistère, Ille-et-Vilaine, Morbihan and Nord are listed as regions where an approved Aujeszky’s disease control programme is in place.

France has submitted supporting documentation to the Commission as regards the Aujeszky’s disease-free status of the departments of Côtes-d’Armor, Finistère, Ille-et-Vilaine, Morbihan and Nord demonstrating that the disease has been eradicated from those departments.

The Commission has examined the documentation submitted by France and found it to comply with Article 10(1) of Directive 64/432/EEC. Accordingly, those departments should be included in the list in Annex I to Decision 2001/618/EC.

Decision 2001/618/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,