Council Directive 2002/60/ECShow full title

Article 22 U.K. Disease control centres and expert groups

1. Member States shall ensure that a fully functional national disease control centre can be immediately set up in the event of any outbreaks of African swine fever.

2. 2. The national disease control centre shall direct and monitor the operations of the local disease control centres referred to in paragraph 3. It shall be responsible, inter alia, for:

(a) defining the necessary control measures;

(b) ensuring the prompt and efficient implementation of the abovementioned measures by the local disease control centres;

(c) allocating staff and other resources to local disease control centres;

(d) providing information to the Commission, to other Member States, the national veterinary organisations, national authorities and the agricultural and trading bodies;

(e) liasing with diagnostic laboratories;

(f) liasing with the press and other media;

(g) liasing with the police authorities to ensure that specific legal measures are taken.

3. Member States shall ensure that fully functional local disease control centres can be immediately set up in the event of any outbreaks of African swine fever.

4. Certain functions of the national disease control centre may, however, be delegated to the local disease control centre operating at an administrative level as provided for in Article 2(2)(p) of Directive 64/432/EEC(1) or at another level, provided the objectives of the national disease control centre are not thereby compromised.

5. Member States shall create a permanently operational expert group to maintain the expertise needed to assist the competent authority in ensuring disease preparedness.

In the event of an outbreak the expert group shall assist the competent authority at least in:

(a) the epidemiological enquiry;

(b) sampling, testing and interpretation of results of laboratory tests;

(c) establishment of disease control measures.

6. Member States shall ensure that the national and local disease control centres and the expert group have staff, facilities and equipment including communication systems as necessary, and a clear and effective chain of command and management to ensure the prompt implementation of the disease control measures laid down in this Directive.

Details regarding staff, facilities, equipment, chain of command and management of the national and local disease control centres and of the expert group shall be laid down in the contingency plans referred to in Article 21.

7. Further criteria and requirements concerning the function and duties of the national disease control centres, local disease control centres and expert groups may be laid down in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 23(2).

(1)

Council Directive of 26 June 1964 on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine (OJ 121, 29.7.1964, p. 1977) (S.E. SER.I (1963-1964) p. 164). Directive as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 535/2002 (OJ L 80, 23.3.2002, p. 22).