Commission Regulation (EU) No 415/2013
of 6 May 2013
laying down additional responsibilities and tasks for the EU reference laboratories for rabies, bovine tuberculosis and bee health, amending Regulation (EC) No 737/2008 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 87/2011
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and welfare rules(1), and in particular Article 32(6) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 lays down the general functions and duties for the EU reference laboratories for food and feed and for animal health set out in Annex VII thereto. In addition, Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 provides that the Commission may include in Annex VII thereto other EU reference laboratories relevant to the areas falling within the scope of that Regulation.
(2) Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 also provides that, in addition to the general functions and duties of EU reference laboratories in the animal health sector laid down therein, additional responsibilities and tasks for those EU reference laboratories may be laid down by the Commission.
(3) By Commission Regulation (EC) No 737/2008 of 28 July 2008 designating the Community reference laboratories for crustacean diseases, rabies and bovine tuberculosis, laying down additional responsibilities and tasks for the Community reference laboratories for rabies and bovine tuberculosis and amending Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council(2), the Commission designated, inter alia, the EU reference laboratories for rabies and bovine tuberculosis and, consequently, inserted the relevant entries concerning those laboratories in Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004. In addition, Annexes I and II to Regulation (EC) No 737/2008 set out certain specific responsibilities and tasks linked to the characteristics of the pathogens. Those responsibilities and tasks are additional to those laid down in Regulation (EC) No 882/2004.
(4) By Commission Regulation (EU) No 87/2011 of 2 February 2011 designating the EU reference laboratory for bee health, laying down additional responsibilities and tasks for that laboratory and amending Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council(3), the Commission designated the EU reference laboratory for bee health and, consequently, inserted the relevant entry concerning that laboratory in Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004. In addition, the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 87/2011 sets out certain specific responsibilities and tasks linked to the characteristics of the agents liable to affect bee health. Those responsibilities and tasks are additional to those laid down in Regulation (EC) No 882/2004.
(5) The definition of certain tasks of the EU reference laboratory for bee health in the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 87/2011 needs to be amended as regards serological tests because they are not applicable to testing on bees. As well the mention of colony collapse disorder (CCD) should be modified in order to ensure consistency with the terminology used in the surveillance studies on bee mortality established in Commission Implementing Decision 2012/362/EU(4).
(6) In the interest of clarity and simplification of Union legislation, it is appropriate that the provisions concerning those additional responsibilities and tasks of the EU reference laboratories for rabies, bovine tuberculosis and bee health be set out in only one act.
(7) Regulation (EC) No 737/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly and Regulation (EU) No 87/2011 be repealed.
(8) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: