The Community reference laboratory has the following tasks:

1. 1.

   coordinating, in consultation with the Commission, diagnostic methods for bluetongue in the Member States, in particular by:

   1. (a)

      specifying, holding and supplying strains of the bluetongue virus for the purpose of serological tests and the preparation of antiserum;

   2. (b)

      the provision of reference sera and other reference reagents to the national reference laboratories for the purpose of standardising the tests and the reagents used in each Member State;

   3. (c)

      the establishment and conservation of a collection of strains and isolates of the bluetongue virus;

   4. (d)

      the regular organisation of Community comparative testing of diagnostic procedures;

   5. (e)

      the collection and collation of data and information concerning the diagnostic methods used and the results of the tests carried out in the Community;

   6. (f)

      the classification of isolates of the bluetongue virus, using the most advanced methods, in order to provide a better understanding of the epizootiology of bluetongue;

   7. (g)

      monitoring developments worldwide in the area of surveillance, epizootiology and prevention of bluetongue;

2. 2.

   actively assisting in the identification of centres of bluetongue infection in the Member States by studying viral isolates sent to it for confirmation of diagnosis, classification and epizootiological studies;

3. 3.

   facilitating the provision of training and refresher courses for experts in laboratory diagnostics with a view to harmonising diagnostic techniques throughout the Community;

4. 4.

   mutual and reciprocal information exchange with the World Bluetongue Laboratory designated by the International Office for Epizootics (OIE), in particular concerning global developments with regard to bluetongue.