Council Directive 2001/89/ECShow full title

Article 15 U.K. Measures in case of suspicion and confirmation of the presence of classical swine fever in feral pigs

1. Immediately after the competent authority of a Member State has information that feral pigs are suspected of being infected, it shall take all appropriate measures to confirm or rule out the presence of the disease, by giving information to the owners of pigs and to hunters, and by investigations of all feral pigs shot or found dead, including laboratory testing.

2. As soon as confirmation of a primary case of classical swine fever in feral pigs has taken place, in order to reduce the spread of disease the competent authority of a Member State shall immediately:

(a) establish an expert group including veterinarians, hunters, wildlife biologists and epidemiologists. The expert group shall assist the competent authority in:

• (a) studying the epidemiological situation and defining an infected area, in accordance with the provisions laid down in Article 16(3)(b),

• establishing appropriate measures to be applied in the infected area in addition to the ones referred to in points (b) and (c); these measures may include suspension of hunting and a ban in feeding feral pigs,

• drawing up the eradication plan to be submitted to the Commission in accordance with Article 16,

• carrying out audits to verify the effectiveness of the measures adopted to eradicate classical swine fever from the infected area;

(b) immediately place under official surveillance pig holdings in the defined infected area and shall in particular order that:

• (b) an official census be carried out of all categories of pigs on all holdings; the census shall be kept up to date by the owner. The information in the census shall be produced on request and may be checked at each inspection. However, as regards open-air pig holdings, the first census carried out may be done on the basis of an estimate,

• all pigs on the holding be kept in their living quarters or some other place where they can be isolated from feral pigs. The feral pigs must not have access to any material which may subsequently come in contact with the pigs on the holding,

• no pigs enter or leave the holding save where authorised by the competent authority having regard to the epidemiological situation,

• appropriate means of disinfection be used at the entrance and exits of buildings housing pigs and of the holding itself,

• appropriate hygienic measures be applied by all persons coming in contact with feral pigs, to reduce the risk of spread of classical swine fever virus, which measures may include a temporary ban on persons having been in contact with feral pigs from entering a pig holding,

• all dead or diseased pigs with classical swine fever symptoms on a holding be tested for the presence of classical swine fever,

• no part of any feral pig, whether shot or found dead, as well as any material or equipment which could be contaminated with classical swine fever virus shall be brought into a pig holding,

• pigs, their semen, embryos or ova shall not be moved from the infected area for the purpose of intra-Community trade;

(c) arrange that all feral pigs shot or found dead in the defined infected area are inspected by an official veterinarian and examined for classical swine fever in accordance with the diagnostic manual. Carcases of all animals found positive shall be processed under official supervision. Where such testing proves negative as regards classical swine fever, Member States shall apply the measures laid down in Article 11(2) of Council Directive 92/45/EEC(1). Parts not intended for human consumption shall be processed under official supervision;

(d) ensure that the classical swine fever virus isolate is subject to the laboratory procedure indicated in the diagnostic manual to identify the genetic type of virus.

3. If a case of classical swine fever has occurred in feral pigs in an area of a Member State close to the territory of another Member State, the Member States concerned shall collaborate in the establishment of disease control measures.

(1)

Council Directive 92/45/EEC of 16 June 1992 on public health and animal health problems relating to the killing of wild game and the placing on the market of wild-game meat (OJ L 268, 14.9.1992, p. 35). Directive as last amended by Directive 97/79/EC (OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 31).