8.9.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 246/12

(1)

Council Directive 90/539/EEC of 15 October 1990 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in, and imports from third countries of, poultry and hatching eggs (3) lays down animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade and imports from third countries of poultry, including rules for intra-Community trade and imports of poultry intended for restocking wild game supplies.

(2)

Commission Decision 2005/734/EC of 19 October 2005 laying down biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza caused by influenza virus A subtype H5N1 from birds living in the wild to poultry and other captive birds and providing for an early detection system in areas at particular risk (4) provides that Member States are to define on their territory areas at a particular risk for the introduction and occurrence of highly pathogenic avian influenza caused by influenza A virus of subtype H5N1 based on certain risk factors.

(3)

Poultry intended for restocking wild game supplies comprise different species of farmed feathered game including waterfowl. Such poultry are bred in captivity and then released into the wild in order to be hunted and serve as a source of wild feathered game meat.

(4)

Farming concerning poultry intended for restocking wild game supplies often involves contact with wild birds and might therefore pose an increased risk for the spread of avian influenza in particular when dispatched to other Member States or third countries.

(5)

Experiences with outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5N1 and other avian influenza strains of H5 and H7 subtypes have shown that that category of poultry is particularly at risk and that additional measures should be taken to reduce such risks.

(6)

Accordingly it is appropriate that Member States draw up guidelines for good biosecurity practices for that type of poultry production, detailing and complementing the measures provided for in Decision 2005/734/EC in particular as regards holdings from which poultry are dispatched to other Member States or third countries.

(7)

Directive 2005/94/EC sets out certain preventive measures relating to the surveillance and early detection of avian influenza. That Directive requires the implementation of surveillance programmes for avian influenza in poultry holdings. The guidelines for good biosecurity practices, additional biosecurity measures and testing prior to the dispatch of poultry provided for in this Decision should give further guarantees for trade and exports in live poultry and reduce the risk of spreading the disease.

(8)

Laboratory investigations should be carried out in accordance with the procedures laid down in Commission Decision 2006/437/EC of 31 August 2006 approving a Diagnostic Manual for avian influenza as provided for in Council Directive 2005/94/EC.

(9)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

(a)

biosecurity measures to be applied on holdings keeping poultry intended for restocking supplies of wild game; and

(b)

surveillance measures to be applied when productive poultry intended for restocking supplies of wild game, are dispatched to other Member States or third countries.

(a)

‘poultry’ means fowl, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, quails, pigeons, pheasants and partridges and ratites (Ratitae) reared or kept in captivity for breeding, the production of meat or eggs for consumption, or for re-stocking supplies of game;

(b)

‘productive poultry’ means poultry 72 hours old or more, reared for the production of meat and/or eggs for consumption or for restocking supplies of game;

(c)

‘wild game’ means wild birds that are hunted for human consumption.

(a)

subjected to an inspection by the official veterinarian confirming that the holding complies with the guidelines for good biosecurity practices; and

(b)

during the two-month period preceding the date of dispatch of the poultry,

(a)

the holding of dispatch complied with the conditions of paragraph 1; and

(b)

a virological investigation for avian influenza is carried out either by virus isolation or PCR on 20 cloacal swabs and 20 tracheal or oropharyngeal swabs from the poultry to be dispatched, during the one-week period preceding the date of dispatch.