CHAPTER II

CONTROL OF OUTBREAKS OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE
SECTION 6

PROTECTION AND SURVEILLANCE ZONES

Measures in relation to milk and milk products produced in the protection zone
Article 27
1
Member States shall ensure that the placing on the market of milk derived from animals of susceptible species originating in the protection zone and of milk products produced from such milk shall be prohibited.
2
Member States shall ensure that the placing on the market of milk and milk products from animals of susceptible species produced in an establishment situated in the protection zone shall be prohibited.
3
By way of derogation, the prohibition provided for in paragraph 1 shall not apply to milk and milk products derived from animals of susceptible species originating in the protection zone which were produced on a date at least 21 days before the estimated date of earliest infection on a holding in the protection zone and which since production have been stored and transported separately from milk and milk products produced after that date.
4
By way of derogation, the prohibition provided for in paragraph 1 shall not apply to milk derived from animals of susceptible species originating in the protection zone and milk products produced from such milk which have undergone one of the treatments as set out in Parts A or B of Annex IX, depending on the use of the milk or milk products. The treatment shall be carried out under the conditions set out in paragraph 6 in establishments referred to in paragraph 5 or, if there is no establishment situated in the protection zone, in establishments situated outside the protection zone under the conditions set down in paragraph 8.
5
By way of derogation, the prohibition provided for in paragraph 2 shall not apply to milk and milk products which have been prepared in establishments situated in the protection zone under the conditions set out in paragraph 6.
6
Establishments referred to in paragraphs 4 and 5 shall comply with the following conditions:
a
the establishment shall be operated under permanent and strict official control;
b
all milk used in the establishment shall either comply with paragraphs 3 and 4 or the raw milk shall be obtained from animals outside the protection zone;
c
during the whole production process the milk shall be clearly identified and transported and stored separately from raw milk and raw milk products which are not destined for dispatch outside the protection zone;
d
transport of raw milk from holdings situated outside the protection zone to the establishments shall be carried out in vehicles which were cleaned and disinfected prior to the transport operation, and which have had no subsequent contact with holdings in the protection zone keeping animals of susceptible species.
7
Compliance with the conditions in paragraph 6 shall be certified by the competent authority for milk intended for intra-Community trade. The competent authority shall supervise the control of compliance undertaken by the local veterinary authority and, in the case of intra-Community trade, communicate to other Member States and the Commission a list of those establishments which it has approved for the purpose of such certification.
8
Transport of raw milk from holdings situated within the protection zone to establishments situated outside the protection zone and the processing of that milk shall be subject to the following conditions:
a
processing in establishments situated outside the protection zone of raw milk produced from animals of susceptible species kept within the protection zone shall be authorised by the competent authorities;
b
the authorisation shall include instructions on and designation of the transport route to the designated establishment;
c
transport shall be carried out in vehicles which were cleaned and disinfected prior to the transport operation, which are constructed and maintained in such a way that there is no leakage of milk during transport and which are equipped to avoid aerosol dispersion during the loading and unloading of the milk;
d
before leaving the holding from where milk of animals of susceptible species was collected the connection pipes, tires, wheel cases, the lower parts of the vehicle and any spillage of milk are cleansed and disinfected and after the last disinfection and before leaving the protection zone the vehicle had no subsequent contact with holdings in the protection zone keeping animals of susceptible species;
e
the means of transport are strictly assigned to a defined geographical or administrative area, they are marked accordingly and may only be moved to another area after cleansing and disinfection under official supervision.
9
The collection and transport of samples of raw milk of animals of susceptible species from holdings situated in the protection zone to a laboratory other than a veterinary diagnostic laboratory approved for diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease and the processing of the milk in such laboratories shall be forbidden.