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[F1ANNEX VII U.K. ERADICATION OF TRANSMISSIBLE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY

Textual Amendments

1. The inquiry referred to in Article 13(1)(b) must identify: U.K.

(a)

in the case of bovine animals:

  • all other ruminants on the holding of the animal in which the disease was confirmed,

  • where the disease was confirmed in a female animal, its progeny born within two years prior to, or after, clinical onset of the disease,

  • all animals of the cohort of the animal in which the disease was confirmed,

  • the possible origin of the disease,

  • other animals on the holding of the animal in which the disease was confirmed or on other holdings which may have become infected by the TSE agent or been exposed to the same feed or contamination source,

  • the movement of potentially contaminated feedingstuffs, of other material or any other means of transmission, which may have transmitted the TSE agent to or from the holding in question;

(b)

in the case of ovine and caprine animals:

  • all ruminants other than ovine and caprine animals on the holding of the animal in which the disease was confirmed,

  • in so far as they are identifiable, the parents, and in the case of females all embryos, ova and the last progeny of the female animal in which the disease was confirmed,

  • all other ovine and caprine animals on the holding of the animal in which the disease was confirmed in addition to those referred to in the second indent,

  • the possible origin of the disease and the identification of other holdings on which there are animals, embryos or ova which may have become infected by the TSE agent or been exposed to the same feed or contamination source,

  • the movement of potentially contaminated feedingstuffs, other material or any other means of transmission, which may have transmitted the BSE agent to or from the holding in question.

2. The measures laid down in Article 13(1)(c) shall comprise at least: U.K.

(a)

in the case of confirmation of BSE in a bovine animal, the killing and complete destruction of bovine animals identified by the inquiry referred to in the second and third indents of point 1(a); however, the Member State may decide:

  • not to kill and destroy animals of the cohort referred to in the third indent of point 1(a) if evidence has been provided that such animals did not have access to the same feed as the affected animal,

  • to defer the killing and destruction of animals in the cohort referred to in the third indent of point 1(a) until the end of their productive life, provided that they are bulls continuously kept at a semen collection centre and it can be ensured that they are completely destroyed following death;

(b)

in the case of confirmation of TSE in an ovine or caprine animal, from 1 October 2003 , according to the decision of the competent authority:

(i)

either the killing and complete destruction of all animals, embryos and ova identified by the inquiry referred to in the second and third indents of point 1(b) or

(ii)

the killing and complete destruction of all animals, embryos and ova identified by the inquiry referred to in the second and third indents of point 1(b), with the exception of:

  • breeding rams of the ARR/ARR genotype,

  • breeding ewes carrying at least one ARR allele and no VRQ allele and, where such breeding ewes are pregnant at the time of the inquiry, the lambs subsequently born, if their genotype meets the requirements of this subparagraph,

  • sheep carrying at least one ARR allele which are intended solely for slaughter,

  • if the competent authority so decides, sheep and goats less than two months old which are intended solely for slaughter;

(iii)

if the infected animal has been introduced from another holding, a Member State may decide, based on the history of the case, to apply eradication measures in the holding of origin in addition to, or instead of, the holding in which the infection was confirmed; in the case of land used for common grazing by more than one flock, Member States may decide to limit the application of those measures to a single flock, based on a reasoned consideration of all the epidemiological factors; where more than one flock is kept on a single holding, Member States may decide to limit the application of the measures to the flock in which scrapie has been confirmed, provided it has been verified that the flocks have been kept isolated from each other and that the spread of infection between the flocks through either direct or indirect contact is unlikely;

(c)

in the case of confirmation of BSE in an ovine or caprine animal, killing and complete destruction of all animals, embryos and ova identified by the inquiry referred to in the second to fifth indents of point 1(b).

3. If scrapie is suspected in an ovine or caprine animal at a holding in a Member State, all other ovine and caprine animals from that holding shall be placed under official movement restriction until the results of the examination are available. If there is evidence that the holding where the animal was present when scrapie was suspected is not likely to be the holding where the animal could have been exposed to scrapie, the competent authority may decide that other holdings or only the holding of exposure shall be placed under official control depending on the epidemiological information available. U.K.

4. Only the following animals may be introduced to the holding(s) where destruction has been undertaken in accordance with point 2(b)(i) or (ii): U.K.

(a)

male sheep of the ARR/ARR genotype;

(b)

female sheep carrying at least one ARR allele and no VRQ allele;

(c)

caprine animals, provided that:

(i)

no ovine animals for breeding other than those of the genotypes referred to in points (a) and (b) are present on the holding,

(ii)

thorough cleaning and disinfection of all animal housing on the premises has been carried out following destocking,

(iii)

the holding shall be subjected to intensified TSE monitoring, including the testing of all caprine animals which are over the age of 18 months and:

  • either are slaughtered for human consumption at the end of their productive lives, or

  • which have died or been killed on the holding, and which meet the criteria referred to in Annex III, Chapter A, Part II, point 3.

5. Only the following ovine germinal products may be used in the holding(s) where destruction has been undertaken in accordance with point 2(b)(i) or (ii): U.K.

(a)

semen from rams of the ARR/ARR genotype;

(b)

embryos carrying at least one ARR allele and no VRQ allele.

[F26. During a transitional period until 1 January 2007 at the latest and by way of derogation from the restriction set out in point 4(b), where it is difficult to obtain replacement ovine animals of a known genotype, Member States may decide to allow non-pregnant ewes of an unknown genotype to be introduced onto the holdings to which the measures referred to in point 2(b)(i) and (ii) apply.] U.K.

Textual Amendments

7. Following the application on a holding of the measures referred to in point 2(b)(i) and (ii): U.K.

(a)

movement of ARR/ARR sheep from the holding shall not be subject to any restriction;

(b)

sheep carrying only one ARR allele may be moved from the holding only to go directly for slaughter for human consumption or for the purposes of destruction; however,

  • ewes carrying one ARR allele and no VRQ allele may be moved to other holdings which are restricted following the application of measures in accordance with point 2(b)(ii),

  • if the competent authority so decides, lambs carrying one ARR allele and no VRQ allele may be moved to one other holding solely for the purposes of fattening prior to slaughter; the destination holding shall not contain any ovine or caprine animals other than those being fattened prior to slaughter, and shall not dispatch live ovine or caprine animals to other holdings, except for direct slaughter;

(c)

if the Member State so decides, sheep and goats less than two months old may be moved from the holding to go directly for slaughter for human consumption; the head and organs of the abdominal cavity of such animals shall however be disposed of in accordance with Article 4(2)(a), (b) or (c) of Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) ,

(d)

without prejudice to subparagraph (c), sheep of genotypes not referred to in subparagraphs (a) and (b) may only be moved from the holding for the purposes of destruction.

8. The restrictions referred to in points 4, 5 and 7 shall continue to apply to the holding for a period of three years from: U.K.

(a)

the date of attainment of ARR/ARR status by all ovine animals on the holding or

(b)

the last date when any ovine or caprine animal was kept on the premises or

(c)

in the case of point 4(c), the date when the intensified TSE monitoring commenced or

(d)

the date when all breeding rams on the holding are of ARR/ARR genotype and all breeding ewes carry at least one ARR allele and no VRQ allele, provided that during the three-year period, negative results are obtained from TSE testing of the following animals over the age of 18 months:

  • an annual sample of ovine animals slaughtered for human consumption at the end of their productive lives in accordance with the sample size indicated in the table in Annex III, Chapter A, Part II, point 4; and

  • all ovine animals referred to in Annex III, Chapter A, Part II, point 3 which have died or been killed on the holding.

9. Where the frequency of the ARR allele within the breed or holding is low, or where it is deemed necessary in order to avoid inbreeding, a Member State may decide to: U.K.

(a)

delay the destruction of animals as referred to in point 2(b)(i) and (ii) for up to five breeding years;

(b)

allow ovine animals other than those referred to in point 4 to be introduced to the holdings referred to in point 2(b)(i) and (ii), provided that they do not carry a VRQ allele.

10. Member States applying the derogations provided for in points 6 and 9 shall notify to the Commission an account of the conditions and criteria used for granting them.] U.K.

Textual Amendments