ANNEX U.K. Testing scheme necessary to ascertain the achievement of the Union target for the reduction of the relevant Salmonella serotypes in adult breeding flocks of Gallus gallus

2. MONITORING IN BREEDING FLOCKS U.K.

2.1. Location, frequency and status of sampling U.K.

Breeding flocks shall be sampled at the initiative of the food business operator and as part of official controls.

2.1.1. Sampling at the initiative of the food business operator U.K.

Sampling shall take place every two weeks at the place designated by the competent authority from the following two possible options:

(a)

at the hatchery; or

(b)

at the holding.

The competent authority may decide to implement one of the options referred to in points (a) or (b) to the whole testing scheme for all broiler breeding flocks and one of those options for all layer breeding flocks. However, sampling of breeding flocks laying hatching eggs intended for the trade within the Union must take place on the holding.

A procedure shall be set up to guarantee that the detection of the presence of the relevant Salmonella serotypes during sampling at the initiative of the food business operator is notified without delay to the competent authority by the laboratory performing the analyses. Timely notification of the detection of the presence of any of the relevant Salmonella serotypes shall remain the responsibility of the food business operator and the laboratory performing the analyses.

By way of derogation from the first paragraph of this point, if the Union target has been achieved for at least two consecutive calendar years in the whole Member State, sampling at the holding may be extended to take place every three weeks, at the discretion of the competent authority. However, the competent authority may decide to keep or revert to a two-week testing interval in the case of detection of the presence of the relevant Salmonella serotypes in a breeding flock on the holding and/or in any other case deemed appropriate by the competent authority.

2.1.2. Sampling as part of official controls U.K.

Sampling as part of official controls shall consist of:

2.1.2.1. If sampling at the initiative of the food business operator takes place at the hatchery: U.K.

(a)

routine sampling every 16 weeks at the hatchery;

(b)

routine sampling at the holding on two occasions during the production cycle, the first one being within four weeks following moving to laying phase or laying unit and the second one taking place towards the end of the laying phase, not earlier than eight weeks before the end of the production cycle;

(c)

confirmatory sampling at the holding, following the detection of the presence of the relevant Salmonella serotypes from sampling at the hatchery.

2.1.2.2. If sampling at the initiative of the food business operator takes place at the holding, routine sampling shall be carried out on three occasions during the production cycle: U.K.

(a)

within four weeks following moving to laying phase or laying unit;

(b)

towards the end of the laying phase, not earlier than eight weeks before the end of the production cycle;

(c)

at any time during the production cycle which is sufficiently distant in time from the sampling referred to in points (a) and (b).

2.1.2.3. By way of derogation from points 2.1.2.1 and 2.1.2.2, and if the Union target has been achieved for at least two consecutive calendar years in the whole Member State, the competent authority may replace the routine samplings by sampling: U.K.

(a)

at the holding on one occasion at any time during the production cycle and once a year at the hatchery; or

(b)

at the holding on two occasions at any times which are sufficiently distant in time from each other during the production cycle.

However, the competent authority may decide to keep or revert to the sampling laid down in point 2.1.2.1 or 2.1.2.2 in the case of detection of the presence of the relevant Salmonella serotypes in a breeding flock on the holding and/or in any other case deemed appropriate by the competent authority.

A sampling carried out by the competent authority may replace a sampling at the initiative of the food business operator.