ANNEX IV U.K. as referred to in Article 6

MINIMUM CONDITIONS FOR APPROVED QUARANTINE FACILITIES AND CENTRES FOR BIRDS U.K.

Approved quarantine facilities and centres shall comply with the conditions set out in Chapters 1 and 2.

CHAPTER 1 U.K. Construction and equipment of quarantine facilities or centres

(1) The quarantine facility or centre must be a separate building or buildings which are separated from other poultry holdings and other bird holdings by a distance specified by the competent authority based on a risk assessment which takes into account the epidemiology of avian influenza and Newcastle disease. Entry/exit doors must be lockable with signs indicating: ‘QUARANTINE — No admission for unauthorised persons’. U.K.

(2) Each quarantine unit of the quarantine centre must occupy a separate airspace. U.K.

(3) The quarantine facility or centre must be bird, fly and vermin proof and sealable so as to permit fumigation. U.K.

(4) The approved quarantine facility and each unit of an approved quarantine centre must be equipped with hand washing facilities. U.K.

(5) Entry and exit doors to the approved quarantine facility and to each unit of an approved quarantine centre must be double door systems. U.K.

(6) Hygiene barriers must be installed at all entrances/exits to the approved quarantine facility and the different units of an approved quarantine centre. U.K.

(7) All equipment must be constructed in such a way that it can be cleaned and disinfected. U.K.

(8) The feed store must be bird and rodent proof and must be protected against insects. U.K.

(9) A container must be available to store litter and must be bird and rodent proof. U.K.

(10) A refrigerator and/or freezer must be provided for holding carcases. U.K.

CHAPTER 2 U.K. Management requirements

(1) Approved quarantine facilities and centres must: U.K.

(a)

have an efficient control system so as to ensure adequate surveillance of the animals;

(b)

be under the control and responsibility of the official veterinarian;

(c)

be cleaned and disinfected in accordance with a programme approved by the competent authority after which there shall be an appropriate resting period; the disinfectants used must be approved for that purpose by the competent authority.

(2) For each consignment of birds quarantined: U.K.

(a)

the approved quarantine facility or unit of an approved quarantine centre must be cleaned and disinfected and then be kept free of birds for at least seven days before the imported birds are introduced;

(b)

the consignment of birds must come from a single approved breeding establishment in the third country of origin and be introduced over a period of not more than 48 hours;

(c)

the quarantine period must start when the last bird is introduced;

(d)

the approved quarantine facility or unit of an approved quarantine centre must be emptied of birds, cleaned and disinfected at the end of the quarantine period.

(3) Precautions shall be taken to prevent cross-contamination between incoming and outgoing consignments. U.K.

(4) No unauthorised persons may enter the approved quarantine facility or centre. U.K.

(5) Persons entering the approved quarantine facility or centre must wear protective clothing including footwear. U.K.

(6) No contacts between personnel shall take place, which may cause contamination between approved quarantine facilities or units of approved quarantine centres. U.K.

(7) Appropriate equipment shall be available for cleaning and disinfection. U.K.

(8) If identification by microchipping is used, an appropriate microchip reader shall be available at the approved quarantine facility or centre. U.K.

(9) Cleaning and disinfection of the cages or crates used for the transport must be carried out at the approved quarantine facility or centre unless they are destroyed. If reused, they must be made of a material that allows effective cleaning and disinfection. The cages and crates must be destroyed in such a way so as to avoid spread of disease causing agents. U.K.

(10) Litter and waste material shall be collected regularly, stored in the litter container and subsequently treated in such a way as to avoid spread of disease-causing agents. U.K.

(11) Carcases of birds must be examined in an official laboratory designated by the competent authority. U.K.

(12) The necessary analyses and treatments of birds must be carried out in consultation with and under the control of the official veterinarian. U.K.

(13) The official veterinarian must be informed of diseases and death of birds and/or sentinel birds during the quarantine. U.K.

(14) The person in charge of the approved quarantine facility or centre must keep a record of: U.K.

(a)

the date, number and species of birds entering and leaving for each consignment;

(b)

copies of the animal health certificates and the Common Veterinary Entry Documents accompanying the imported birds;

(c)

individual identification numbers of the imported birds, and in case of identification by microchip the details of the type of microchip and the reader used shall be recorded;

(d)

if in the quarantine facility or centre sentinal birds are used, the number and placing of the sentinel birds in the quarantine facility or centre;

(e)

any significant observation: cases of illness and number of deaths on a daily basis;

(f)

dates and results of testing;

(g)

types and dates of treatment;

(h)

persons entering and leaving the quarantine facility or centre.

(15) The records referred to in point 14 shall to be kept for at least 10 years. U.K.

CHAPTER 3 U.K. Suspending, withdrawing or re-granting approval of quarantine facilities and centres

The procedures for partly or completely suspending, withdrawing or re-granting approval of quarantine facilities and centres shall comply with the conditions set out in this Chapter:

(1)

Where the competent authority finds that a quarantine facility or centre no longer complies with the conditions set out in Chapters 1 and 2, or there has been a change of use which is no longer covered by Articles 3(e) and (f), it shall inform the Commission of this fact. Such quarantine facilities or centres shall not be used for imports in accordance with this act.

(2)

Approval shall only be re-granted to a quarantine facility or centre when the conditions laid down in Chapters 1 and 2 are again fulfilled.