Council Directive 2000/75/ECShow full title

Article 4 U.K.

1. If a holding located in a region not subject to restrictions within the meaning of this Directive has one or more animals suspected of being infected with bluetongue, Member States shall ensure that the official veterinarian immediately implements official methods of investigation to confirm or rule out the presence of the disease.

2. As soon as notification is given of suspected presence, the official veterinarian:

(a) shall place the suspect holding or holdings under official surveillance;

(b) shall:

(i)

compile an inventory of the animals, indicating for each species the number of animals already dead, infected or likely to be infected, and update this inventory to take account of the animals which are born or die during the period in which the disease is suspected; the data from this inventory must be produced on request and may be checked during each visit;

(ii)

compile an inventory of places likely to facilitate the survival of or to harbour the vector and, in particular, of the sites conducive to its reproduction;

(iii)

carry out an epidemiological survey in accordance with Article 7;

(c) shall make regular visits to the holding or holdings and, on each occasion, conduct a detailed clinical examination or an autopsy of animals that are dead or suspected of infection and confirm the disease, if necessary by means of laboratory tests;

(d) shall ensure that:

(i)

any movement of animals from or to the holding or holdings is prohibited;

(ii)

the animals are confined at times when the vectors are active, where he considers that the means required for implementing this measures are available;

(iii)

the animals, the buildings used to house them and their surroundings (in particular habitats in which the Culicoides populations thrive) are regularly treated with authorised insecticides. To prevent infestations by the vectors as far as possible, the rate of treatment shall be fixed by the competent authority, taking account of the persistence of the insecticide used and the climatic conditions;

(iv)

the carcases of the dead animals at the holding are destroyed, eliminated, incinerated or buried in accordance with Council Directive 90/667/EEC of 27 November 1990 laying down the veterinary rules for the disposal and processing of animal waste, for its placing on the market and for the prevention of pathogens in feedingstuffs of animal or fish origin and amending Directive 90/425/EEC(1).

3. Pending implementation of the measures referred to in paragraph 2, the owner or the holder of any animal suspected of being infected with the disease shall take all precautionary measures to comply with the provisions of paragraph 2(d)(i) and (ii).

4. The competent authority may apply the measures referred to in paragraph 2 to other holdings in the event that their location, geographical situation or contacts with the holding where the disease is suspected provides grounds for suspecting the possibility of contamination.

5. In addition to the provisions of paragraph 2, specific provisions may be laid down, according to the procedure provided for in Article 20(2), for nature reserves in which animals live freely.

6. The measures referred to in this Article shall not be lifted by the official veterinarian until the suspected presence of bluetongue has been ruled out by the competent authority.

(1)

OJ L 363, 27.12.1990, p. 51. Directive as last amended by the 1994 Act of Accession.