THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15 July 1991 laying down the principles governing the organization of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC, and in particular Article 18(7) thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries, and in particular Article 22(6) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Directive 91/496/EEC lays down the principles of veterinary checks on animals entering the Union from third countries. It lays down the measures which can be adopted by the Commission, if a disease liable to present a serious threat to animal or public health manifests itself or spreads in the territory of a third country.
(2)
Directive 97/78/EC lays down the principles of veterinary checks on products entering the Union from third countries. It lays down the measures which can be adopted by the Commission, if a disease liable to present a serious threat to animal or public health manifests itself or spreads in the territory of a third country.
(3)
Foot-and-mouth disease is endemic in Libya and has been confirmed in Tunisia since 25 April 2014 and in Algeria since 23 July 2014.
(4)
Foot-and-mouth disease is one of the most contagious diseases of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. The virus causing the disease has the potential for rapid spread, notably through products obtained from infected animals and contaminated inanimated objects including means of transport like livestock vehicles. The virus can also persist in a contaminated environment outside the host animal for several weeks depending on the temperature.
(5)
The presence of foot-and-mouth disease in Algeria, Libya and Tunisia is liable to constitute a serious risk to the livestock population of the Union.
(6)
Although foot-and-mouth disease has not been confirmed in Morocco, that third country is a potential country of transit for the livestock vehicles returning from Algeria, Libya and Tunisia to the Union.
(7)
The drastic deterioration of the foot-and-mouth disease situation in Libya and its spread to and within Tunisia and Algeria require to adopt certain protection measures at the Union level which take into account the survival of the foot-and-mouth disease virus in the environment and potential transmission routes of that virus.
(8)
Livestock vehicles and vessels used for the transport of live animals to Algeria, Libya or Tunisia may be contaminated with the foot-and-mouth disease virus in those infected countries and therefore constitute a risk of introducing the disease upon their return to the Union.
(9)
Appropriate cleansing and disinfection of livestock vehicles and vessels is the most appropriate way to reduce the risk of rapid virus transmission over large distances.
(10)
It is therefore appropriate to ensure that all livestock vehicles and vessels which have transported live animals to destinations in Algeria, Libya or Tunisia are appropriately cleansed and disinfected and that such cleansing and disinfection is properly documented in the declaration submitted by the operator or driver to the competent authority at the point of entry.
(11)
The operator or driver should ensure that for each livestock vehicle and vessel a cleansing and disinfection certificate is retained for a minimum period of three years.
(12)
Member States should have the possibility to subject vehicles which transport feed from or have transported feed to infected countries and for which a significant risk of introduction of foot-and-mouth disease into the territory of the Union cannot be excluded to on-the-spot disinfection of the wheels or any other part of the vehicle deemed necessary to mitigate that risk.
(13)
In addition, although imports of live animals of species susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease are not authorised from any country in Africa, the importation of certain categories of equidae is authorised from Algeria, Libya and Tunisia in accordance with Council Directive 2009/156/EC and equidae from those third countries may transit the Union on their way to another third country in accordance with Commission Decision 2010/57/EU. Therefore, Member States should have the possibility to subject livestock vehicles carrying equidae coming from those third countries to on-the-spot disinfection of the wheels or any other part of the vehicle deemed necessary to mitigate the risk of introduction of foot-and-mouth disease into the Union.
(14)
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: