Commission Decision

of 20 August 2009

amending Decision 2008/185/EC as regards the inclusion of Northern Ireland in the list of regions where an approved national control programme for Aujeszky’s disease is in place

(notified under document C(2009) 6394)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2009/621/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 64/432/EEC of 26 June 1964 on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine1, and in particular Article 9(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Directive 64/432/EEC lays down rules applicable to intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine. Article 9 of that Directive provides criteria for approving compulsory national control programmes for certain contagious diseases, including Aujeszky’s disease.

(2)
Commission Decision 2008/185/EC of 21 February 2008 on additional guarantees in intra-Community trade of pigs relating to Aujeszky’s disease and criteria to provide information on this disease2 lays down the additional guarantees for movements of pigs between Member States. Those guarantees are linked to the classification of Member States according to their disease status.
(3)

Annex II to Decision 2008/185/EC lists Member States or regions thereof where approved control programmes for Aujeszky’s disease are in place.

(4)

United Kingdom has submitted supporting documentation to the Commission as regards the Aujeszky’s disease status in Northern Ireland. A national control programme for Aujeszky’s disease has been implemented for several years.

(5)

The Commission has examined the documentation submitted by the Member State and has found that the national control programme in Northern Ireland complies with the criteria laid down in Article 9(1) of Directive 64/432/EEC. Accordingly, Northern Ireland should be included in the list set out in Annex II to Decision 2008/185/EC.

(6)

Decision 2008/185/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7)

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:

Article 1

Annex II to Decision 2008/185/EC is replaced by the text in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 20 August 2009.

For the Commission

Androulla Vassiliou

Member of the Commission

ANNEX

‘ANNEX II

Member States or regions thereof where approved Aujeszky’s disease control programmes are in place

ISO code

Member State

Regions

BE

Belgium

All regions

ES

Spain

The territory of the Autonomous Communities of Galicia, País Vasco, Asturias, Cantabria, Navarra, La Rioja

The territory of the provinces of León, Zamora, Palencia, Burgos, Valladolid and Ávila in the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León

The territory of the province of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands

HU

Hungary

All regions

IT

Italy

The province of Bolzano

UK

United Kingdom

All regions in Northern Ireland’