HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"EN
12.5.2012 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
125/51
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION
of 10 May 2012
amending Annex II to Council Directive 2004/68/EC as regards the basic general criteria for a
territory to be considered free from bluetongue
(notified under document C(2012) 2978)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2012/253/EU)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
undesired local circulation of the vaccine virus to unvac
cinated cattle, sheep and goats. It is now widely accepted
that vaccination with inactivated vaccines is the preferred
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
tool for the control of bluetongue and for the prevention
Union,
of clinical disease in such animals in the Union.
Having regard to Council Directive 2004/68/EC of 26 April
2004 laying down animal health rules for the importation
(6) Accordingly, Council Directive 2000/75/EC of
20 November 2000 laying down specific provisions for
into and transit through the Community of certain live
the control and eradication of bluetongue (
ungulate animals, amending Directives 90/426/EEC and

2 ) was recently
amended by Directive 2012/5/EU of the European
92/65/EEC and repealing Directive 72/462/EEC ( 1 ), and in
Parliament and of the Council (
particular Article 13(2)(b) thereof,

3 ), to provide for the
use of inactivated vaccines in all parts of the EU.
Whereas:
(7) As
a
result
of
the
evolving
epidemiological
situation
as
regards bluetongue, and to align with the World Organi
(1) Directive
2004/68/EC
lays
down
the
animal
health
sation for Animal Health (OIE) standards, Commission
requirements for the importation into and transit
Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007 of 26 October 2007
through the Union of live ungulates of the species
on implementing rules for Council Directive 2000/75/EC
listed in Annex I thereto.
as regards the control, monitoring, surveillance and
restrictions on movements of certain animals of
susceptible species in relation to bluetongue ( 4 ) was
(2) Pursuant
to
that
Directive,
the
importation
of
live
amended recently. Consequently, EU standards require
ungulates into and transit through the Union is to be
the absence of virus circulation for a minimum period
authorised only from third countries that appear on a list
of two years in order to consider a territory free from
or lists to be drawn up or amended in accordance with
bluetongue. The period of 12 months referred to in
the procedure referred to therein.
Annex II to Directive 2004/68/EC should therefore be
amended accordingly.
(3) Imports
of
live
ungulates
into
the
Union
are
to
be
allowed only if the authorised third country provides
(8) Directive 2000/75/EC and Regulation (EC) No
the guarantee that the animals come from a disease-
1266/2007 apply to intra-Union movements of live
free territory, in accordance with the basic general
ungulates of species susceptible to bluetongue. It is
criteria listed in Annex II to Directive 2004/68/EC and
appropriate that the basic general criteria for a territory
into which the entry of animals vaccinated against the
of a third country to be considered free from bluetongue,
diseases listed in that Annex must be prohibited.
as set out in Annex II to Directive 2004/68/EC, be
aligned with the requirements applicable within the
Union.
(4) Bluetongue
is
listed
in
Annex
II
to
Directive
2004/68/EC.
Pursuant to that Annex, for all species of animals other
than those of family Suidae, the conditions for a territory
to be considered free from bluetongue are that no case of
(9) Annex
II
to
Directive
2004/68/EC
should
therefore
be
disease was registered and no vaccination was carried out
amended accordingly.
during the last 12 months with appropriate control of
the Culicoides population.
(10) The
measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of the Standing
(5) In
recent
years,
as
a
result
of
new
technical
devel
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
opments, ‘inactivated vaccines’ against bluetongue have
become available which do not pose the risk of
( 2 ) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 74.
( 3 ) OJ L 81, 21.3.2012, p. 1.
( 1 ) OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 321.
( 4 ) OJ L 283, 27.10.2007, p. 37.

---

L 125/52
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
12.5.2012
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
In Annex II to Directive 2004/68/EC, the entry for bluetongue is replaced by the following:
‘Bluetongue no
case
of
disease
and
no
vaccination
carried
All species other than those of the genera Bos,
out during the last 24 months with appropriate Bison, Bubalus, Ovis and Capra and of the family
control of the Culicoides population
Suidae’
Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 10 May 2012.
For the Commission
John DALLI
Member of the Commission

---

Document Outline

• �

---