THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Directive 2009/156/EC of 30 November 2009 on animal health conditions governing the movement and importation from third countries of equidae, and in particular Article 19(d) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Commission Regulation (EC) No 180/2008 designated the Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (ANSES) with its laboratories for animal health and equine diseases, France, as the EU reference laboratory for equine diseases other than African horse sickness, and the Annex thereto sets outs its functions, tasks and procedures regarding collaboration with the laboratories responsible for diagnosing infectious diseases of equidae in the Member States.
(2)
Regulation (EC) No 180/2008, as adopted by the Commission in 2008, designated Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des aliments (AFSSA) as the EU reference laboratory for equine diseases other than African horse sickness for an initial period of five years expiring on 30 June 2013. Commission Regulation (EU) No 208/2011 updated Regulation (EC) No 180/2008 as regards the name of the institution, i.e. Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (ANSES). Regulation (EC) No 180/2008, as amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 72/2013, extended the period of designation of ANSES for a further period of five years expiring on 30 June 2018.
(3)
For more than eight years, ANSES has fulfilled its functions, tasks and procedures, and thus significantly improved the capabilities of the national reference laboratories for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of particular equine diseases.
(4)
In order to ensure a high quality and uniformity of analytical and diagnostic results in the Union, it is important that ANSES continues to carry out its activities as the EU reference laboratory for equine diseases other than African horse for a further five-year period.
(5)
Regulation (EC) No 180/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(6)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: