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ANNEX IIU.K.

A. LABORATORIO COMUNITARIO DE REFERENCIA DE LA FIEBRE CATARRAL OVINA EF-REFERENCELABORATORIUM FOR BLUETONGUE GEMEINSCHAFTLICHES REFERENZLABORATORIUM FÜR DIE BLAUZUNGENKRANKHEIT ΚΟΙΝΟΤΙΚΟ ΕΡΓΑΣΤΗΡΙΟ ΑΝΑΦΟΡΑΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΟΝ ΚΑΤΑΡΡΟΪΚΟ ΠΥΡΕΤΟ ΤΟΥ ΠΡΟΒΑΤΟΥ COMMUNITY REFERENCE LABORATORY FOR BLUETONGUE LABORATOIRE COMMUNAUTAIRE DE RÉFÉRENCE POUR LA FIÈVRE CATARRHALE DU MOUTON [F1REFERENTNI LABORATORIJ ZAJEDNICE ZA BOLEST PLAVOG JEZIKA] LABORATORIO COMUNITARIO DI RIFERIMENTO PER LA FEBBRE CATARRALE DEGLI OVINI COMMUNAUTAIR REFERENTIELABORATORIUM VOOR BLUETONGUE LABORATÓRIO COMUNITÁRIO DE REFERÊNCIA EM RELAÇÃO À FEBRE CATARRAL OVINA LAMPAAN BLUETONGUE-TAUTIA VARTEN NIMETTY YHTEISÖN VERTAILULABORATORIO GEMENSKAPENS REFERENSLABORATORIUM FÖR BLUETONGUE U.K.

[F2Laboratorio Central de Veterinaria — Área de Sanidad Animal

Ctra. M-106, P.K. 1,4

28110 Algete (Madrid)

ESPAÑA]

B.TASKS OF THE COMMUNITY REFERENCE LABORATORY FOR BLUETONGUEU.K.

The Community reference laboratory has the following tasks:

1.

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

(a)

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

(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;

(c)

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

(d)

the regular organisation of Community comparative testing of diagnostic procedures;

(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;

(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;

(g)

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

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.

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

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.