Directive 1985/511 - Community measures for the control of foot- and-mouth disease - Main contents

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Council Directive 85/511/EEC of 18 November 1985 introducing Community measures for the control of foot- and-mouth disease

Official Journal L 315 , 26/11/1985 P. 0011 - 0018

Finnish special edition: Chapter 3 Volume 19 P. 0209

Spanish special edition: Chapter 03 Volume 39 P. 0033

Swedish special edition: Chapter 3 Volume 19 P. 0209

Portuguese special edition Chapter 03 Volume 39 P. 0033

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COUNCIL DIRECTIVE

of 18 November 1985

introducing Community measures for the control of foot-and-mouth disease

(85/511/EEC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 43 and 100 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),

Whereas one of the Community's tasks in the veterinary field is to improve the state of health of livestock, thereby increasing the profitability of stockfarming;

Whereas an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease can quickly take on epizootic proportions, causing mortality and disturbances on a scale liable to reduce sharply the profitability of farming of pigs and ruminants as a whole;

Whereas action must be taken as soon as the presence of the disease is suspected so that immediate and effective control measures can be implemented as soon as its presence is confirmed; whereas such measures must be modulated by the competent authorities to take account of whether or not a country carries out a prophylactic vaccination programme on all or part of its territory; whereas, under certain conditions, the Member States which practise such a policy may authorize animals having sufficent immunization protection against the foot-and-mouth virus to be exempted from slaughter;

Whereas it is necessary to prevent any spread of the disease as soon as an outbreak occurs, by carefully monitoring movements of animals and the use of products liable to be contaminated, and, where appropriate, by vaccination;

Whereas diagnosis of the disease and identification of the relevant virus must be carried out under the auspices of responsible laboratories the coordination of which must be ensured by a reference laboratory appointed by the Community;

Whereas the vaccine used for emergency vaccination must be verified both for efficacy and safety, with coordination being carried out by a specialized institute appointed by the Community; whereas, furthermore, special coordinated measures must be implemented where virus types or variants are detected against which the vaccines usually used in the Community do not provide sufficient protection; whereas it proves necessary, to this end, to make provision for the Member States which vaccinate to draw up multiannual vaccination plans which will be examined and, where appropriate, be the subject of Community coordination;

Whereas provision must be made for a procedure for close cooperation between the Member States and the Commission;

Whereas the arrangements introduced by this Directive are of an experimental nature and whereas they will have to be reviewed in keeping with developments in the situation,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1

This Directive defines the minimum Community control measures to be applied in the event of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, whatever the type of virus concerned, without prejudice to the Community provisions governing intra-Community trade.

This Directive does not affect Member States' prophylactic vaccination policies.

Article 2

For the purposes of this Directive, the definitions given in Article 2 of Directive 64/432/EEC (1) shall apply as appropriate.

The following definitions shall also apply:

(a) 'animal of a susceptible species' means any domestic or wild ruminant or swine present on a holding;

(b) 'receptive animal' means any...

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