Council Directive 2003/85/ECShow full title

ANNEX XVIII U.K.

PART A U.K. Measures in case of confirmation of the presence of foot-and-mouth disease in wild animals

1. As soon as confirmation of a primary case of foot-and-mouth disease in wild animals of susceptible species has taken place, in order to reduce the spread of disease, the competent authority of a Member State shall immediately: U.K.

(a)

notify the primary case in accordance with Annex II;

(b)

epidemiologists. The expert group shall assist the competent authority in:

(i)

studying the epidemiological situation and defining an infected area, in accordance with the provisions laid down in point 4(b) of Part B,

(ii)

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

(iii)

drawing up the eradication plan to be submitted to the Commission in accordance with Part B,

(iv)

carrying out audits to verify the effectiveness of the measures adopted to eradicate foot-and-mouth disease from the infected area;

(c)

immediately place under official surveillance holdings keeping animals of susceptible species in the defined infected area and shall in particular order that:

(i)

an official census be carried out of all species and categories of animals of susceptible species 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 holdings, the first census carried out may be done on the basis of an estimate,

(ii)

all animals of susceptible species on the holdings situated in the infected area be kept in their living quarters or some other place where they can be isolated from wild animals. Wild animals must not have access to any material which may subsequently come in contact with animals of susceptible species on the holdings,

(iii)

no animal of a susceptible species enter or leave the holding save where authorised by the competent authority having regard to the epidemiological situation,

(iv)

appropriate means of disinfection be used at the entrance and exits of buildings housing animals of susceptible species and of the holding itself,

(v)

appropriate hygiene measures be applied by all persons coming in contact with wild animals, to reduce the risk of spread of foot-and-mouth disease virus, which may include a temporary ban on persons having been in contact with wild animals from entering a holding keeping animals of susceptible species,

(vi)

all dead or diseased animals of susceptible species with foot-and-mouth disease symptoms on a holding be tested for the presence of foot-and-mouth disease,

(vii)

no part of any wild animals, whether shot or found dead, as well as any material or equipment which could be contaminated with foot-and-mouth disease virus shall be brought into a holding keeping animals of susceptible species,

(viii)

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

(d)

arrange that all wild animals shot or found dead in the defined infected area are inspected by an official veterinarian and examined for foot-and-mouth disease to officially rule out or confirm foot-and-mouth disease in accordance with the definition for an outbreak in Annex I. Carcasses of all wild animals found positive as regards foot-and-mouth disease shall be processed under official supervision. Where such testing proves negative as regards foot-and-mouth disease, Member States shall apply the measures laid down in Article 11(2) of Directive 92/45/EEC. Parts not intended for human consumption shall be processed under official supervision;

(e)

ensure that the foot-and-mouth disease virus isolate is subject to the laboratory procedure required to identify the genetic type of virus and its antigenic characteristic in relation to existing vaccines strains.

2. If a case of foot-and-mouth disease has occurred in wild animals 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. U.K.

3. By way of derogation to the provisions in point 1 specific measures may be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 89(3), if a case of foot-and-mouth disease has occurred in wild animals in an area of a Member State where extensive keeping of domestic animals of susceptible species makes certain provisions in paragraph 1 inapplicable. U.K.

PART B U.K. Plans for the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in wild animals

1. Without prejudice to the measures laid down in Part A, Member States shall submit to the Commission within 90 days from the confirmation of the primary case of foot-and-mouth disease in wild animals a written plan of the measures taken to eradicate the disease in the area defined as infected and of the measures applied on the holdings in that area. U.K.

2. The Commission shall examine the plan in order to determine whether it permits the desired objective to be attained. The plan, if necessary with amendments, shall be approved in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 89(3). The plan may subsequently be amended or supplemented to take account of developments in the situation. U.K.

If these amendments concern the redefinition of the infected area, Member States shall ensure that the Commission and the other Member States are informed of these amendments without delay.

If the amendments concern other provisions of the plan, Member States shall submit the amended plan to the Commission for examination and possible approval in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 89(3).

3. After the measures provided for in the plan mentioned in paragraph 1 have been approved, they shall replace the initial measures laid down in Part A, on a date which shall be decided upon when approval is given. U.K.

4. The plan mentioned in paragraph 1 shall contain information on: U.K.

(a)

the results of the epidemiological investigations and controls carried out in accordance with Part A and the geographical distribution of the disease;

(b)

a defined infected area within the territory of the Member State concerned.

When defining the infected area, the competent authority shall take into account:

(i)

the results of the epidemiological investigations carried out and the geographical distribution of the disease,

(ii)

the wild animal population in the area,

(iii)

the existence of major natural or artificial obstacles to movements of wild animals;

(c)

the organisation of close cooperation between wildlife biologists, hunters, hunting organisations, the wildlife protection services and veterinary services (animal health and public health);

(d)

the information campaign to be enforced to increase hunters' awareness of the measures they have to adopt in the framework of the eradication plan;

(e)

specific efforts made to determine the number and location of groups of wild animals with limited contacts to other groups of wild animals in and around the infected area;

(f)

the approximate number of groups of wild animals referred to in paragraph (e) and their size in and around the infected area;

(g)

specific efforts made to determine the extent of the infection in wild animals, by investigation of wild animals shot by hunters or found dead, and by laboratory testing, including age-stratified epidemiological investigations;

(h)

the measures adopted to reduce spread of disease due to movements of wild animals and/or contact between groups of wild animals; these measures may include a prohibition of hunting;

(i)

the measures adopted to reduce the population of wild animals and in particular young animals of susceptible species in the wild animal population;

(j)

the requirements to be complied with by hunters in order to avoid any spread of the disease;

(k)

the method of removal of wild animals found dead or shot, which shall be based on:

(i)

processing under official supervision, or

(ii)

inspection by an official veterinarian and laboratory tests as provided for in Annex XIII. Carcasses of all wild animals found positive as regards foot-and-mouth disease shall be processed under official supervision. Where such testing proves negative as regards foot-and-mouth disease, Member States shall apply the measures laid down in Article 11(2) of Directive 92/45/EEC. Parts not intended for human consumption shall be processed under official supervision;

(l)

the epidemiological enquiry which is carried out on each wild animal of a susceptible species, whether shot or found dead. This enquiry must include the completion of a questionnaire which supplies information about:

(i)

the geographical area where the animal was found dead or shot,

(ii)

the date on which the animal was found dead or shot,

(iii)

the person who found or shot the animal,

(iv)

the age and sex of the animal,

(v)

if shot: symptoms before shooting,

(vi)

if found dead: the state of the carcass,

(vii)

laboratory findings;

(m)

surveillance programmes and prevention measures applicable to the holdings keeping animals of susceptible species situated in the defined infected area, and if necessary, in its surroundings, including the transport and movement of animals of susceptible species within, from and to the area; these measures shall at least include the ban of moving animals of susceptible species, their semen, embryos or ova from the infected area for the purposes of intra-Community trade;

(n)

other criteria to be applied for lifting the measures taken to eradicate the disease in the defined area and the measures applied to holdings in the area;

(o)

the authority charged with supervising and coordinating the departments responsible for implementing the plan;

(p)

the system established in order that the expert group appointed in accordance with point 1(b) in Part A can review on a regular basis the results of the eradication plan;

(q)

the disease monitoring measures that shall be enforced after a period of at least 12 months has elapsed from the last confirmed case of foot-and-mouth disease in wild animals in the defined infected area; these monitoring measures shall stay in place for at least 12 months and shall at least include the measures already enforced in accordance with points (g), (k) and (l).

5. A report concerning the epidemiological situation in the defined area and the results of the eradication plan shall be transmitted to the Commission and to the other Member States every 6 months. U.K.

6. More detailed rules relating to the establishment of plans for the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in wild animals may be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 89(3). U.K.