Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687Show full title

Section 1 U.K. Preliminary disease control measures in the event of suspicion of a category A disease in kept animals

Article 5 U.K. Obligations on operators in the event of suspicion of a category A disease in kept animals in an establishment

In the event of suspicion of a category A disease in kept animals, operators shall take the following disease control measures in order to prevent the spread of the category A disease from the affected animals and establishments under their responsibility to other unaffected animals or to humans until the competent authority rules out the presence of the category A disease:

(a)

isolate all animals suspected of being infected with the category A disease;

(b)

keep the manure, including litter and used bedding, and any product, material or substance likely to be contaminated with and to transmit category A diseases isolated and protected from insects and rodents, kept animals of non-listed species and wild animals to the extent technically and practically feasible;

(c)

implement the appropriate additional biosecurity measures to avoid any risk of spread of the category A disease;

(d)

cease all movements of kept animals of listed species from or to the establishment;

(e)

prevent non-essential movements of animals of non-listed species, products, materials, substances, persons and means of transport from or to the establishment;

(f)

ensure that production, health and traceability records of the establishment are updated;

(g)

provide the competent authority, on its request, with any relevant information regarding the category A disease; and

(h)

follow any instructions given by the competent authority regarding the control of the category A disease, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and this Regulation.

Article 6 U.K. Investigation by the competent authority in the event of suspicion of a category A disease in kept animals in an establishment

1. In the event of suspicion of a category A disease in kept animals in an establishment, in accordance with Article 9(1), (3) and (4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689, the competent authority shall immediately conduct an investigation to confirm or rule out the presence of the suspected listed disease.

2. In the course of the investigation referred to in paragraph 1 the competent authority shall ensure that official veterinarians perform at least:

(a) clinical examinations of kept animals of listed species at the establishment; and

(b) collection of samples for laboratory examinations.

Article 7 U.K. Preliminary restriction and biosecurity measures in the event of suspicion of a category A disease in kept animals in an establishment

1. In the event of suspicion of a category A disease in an establishment, the competent authority shall place the establishment under official surveillance and immediately impose the following preliminary restriction and biosecurity measures, in order to prevent the spread of the category A disease from the affected animals and the establishment to other unaffected animals or to humans:

(a) prohibition of movements of kept animals of listed species into and from the establishment;

(b) prohibition of movements of kept animals of non-listed species into and from the establishment;

(c) prohibition of movements of any product, material or substance likely to be contaminated with or likely to transmit category A diseases from the establishment;

(d) isolation of kept animals of listed species and protection from wild animals, animals of non-listed species and, when necessary, from insects and rodents;

(e) prohibition of killing of animals of listed species, unless authorised by the competent authority; and

(f) prohibition of non-essential movements of products, materials, substances, persons and means of transport into the establishments.

2. By way of derogation from point 1(a), (b) and (c) the competent authority may authorise movements of animals and products from the establishment where a category A disease is suspected, after carrying out a risk assessment and provided that:

(a) the movements of animals and products comply with all conditions and biosecurity measures necessary in order to avoid the spread of the disease;

(b) in the establishment of destination there are not other kept animals of listed species; and

(c) the establishment of destination is not a slaughterhouse.

3. Where derogations provided for in paragraph 2 are granted, the competent authority may impose the disease control measures provided for in paragraph 1 in the establishment of destination.

4. The competent authority may order preventive killing, in accordance with Article 12(1) and (2), of animals of listed species in the establishment where a category A disease is suspected when the epidemiological situation so requires.

5. All animal by-products from dead animals, which have died or have been killed in the establishment where a category A disease is suspected shall be processed or disposed of in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 to ensure that the suspected disease agent is inactivated and to prevent the spread of the disease to unaffected animals or to humans.

Article 8 U.K. Inventory and records analysis in the event of suspicion of a category A disease in kept animals in an establishment

1. In the event of suspicion of a category A disease, the competent authority shall order and verify that, without delay, operators of the establishments where a category A disease is suspected compile and maintain an up-to-date inventory of the following:

(a) the species, categories and number of animals kept on the establishment; for poultry, the number of animals may be estimated;

(b) the individual identification number of all the animals of species for which the individual identification is compulsory in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035(1);

(c) the species, categories and number of kept animals of listed species which have been born, died, showed clinical signs or are likely to be infected or contaminated with the category A disease in the establishment;

(d) any product, material or substance likely to be contaminated with or likely to transmit the relevant category A disease in the establishment; and

(e) when relevant, all places likely to enable the survival of the vectors of the relevant category A disease in the establishment.

2. Where the establishment consists of several epidemiological units, the information in paragraph 1 shall be specified for each epidemiological unit.

3. In the framework of the epidemiological enquiry, as referred to in Article 57 of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, the competent authority shall analyse at least the following records of the establishment where a category A disease is suspected:

(a) the inventory referred to in paragraph 1;

(b) the records concerning the origin and date of arrival and departure at or from the establishment of kept animals of listed species;

(c) the records concerning the origin and date of arrival and departure at or from the establishment of other relevant transport movements;

(d) the production records; and

(e) the records concerning to visits to the establishment, if available.

4. The records analysis referred to in paragraph 3 shall cover, at least, the monitoring period set out in Annex II for the relevant disease, calculated backwards from the date on which the suspicion was notified.

Article 9 U.K. Temporary restricted zones in the event of suspicion of a category A disease in kept terrestrial animals in an establishment

1. In the event of suspicion of a category A disease in kept animals in an establishment, the competent authority may establish a temporary restricted zone taking into account the following circumstances:

(a) the location of the establishment in an area with a high density of kept animals of listed species for which a category A disease is suspected;

(b) the movement of animals or persons in contact with kept animals of listed species for which a category A disease is suspected;

(c) the delay in confirming the category A disease pursuant to Article 11;

(d) the insufficient information on the possible origin and routes of introduction of the suspected category A disease; and

(e) the disease profile, in particular the routes and speed of transmission of the disease and the persistence of the disease in the animal population.

2. In the establishments within the temporary restricted zone the competent authority shall apply at least the measures provided for in Article 7.

3. The competent authority may maintain the temporary restricted zone until the moment that the presence of the category A disease has been ruled out in the establishment where it was suspected or the presence of that disease has been confirmed and a restricted zone is established pursuant to Article 21.

4. The competent authority may order preventive killing, in accordance with Article 12(1) and (2), or slaughtering of animals of listed species, in the temporary restricted zones when the epidemiological situation so requires.

Article 10 U.K. Measures to apply in the event of suspicion of a category A disease in food and feed businesses, border control posts, animal by-products establishments or any other location of relevance, including means of transport

1. In the event of suspicion of a category A disease in accordance with Article 9(1), (3) and (4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 in food and feed businesses, border control posts, animal by-products establishments or any other location of relevance, including means of transport, the competent authority shall apply:

(a) the relevant provisions laid down in Articles 5 to 9; and

(b) if needed, additional measures adapted to the specific situation in order to prevent the spread of the category A disease to unaffected animals or to humans.

2. The competent authority shall also apply provisions laid down in Articles 5 to 9 in the establishments of origin of the animals or products present in the establishments and locations referred to in paragraph 1 which are suspected to be infected.

(1)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035 of 28 June 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards rules for establishments keeping terrestrial animals and hatcheries, and the traceability of certain kept terrestrial animals and hatching eggs (OJ L 314, 5.12.2019, p. 115).