Notification of animal diseases

SUMMARY OF:

Directive 82/894/EEC — notification of animal diseases within the European Union

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DIRECTIVE?

It lays down a list of contagious animal diseases (land and aquaculture* animals) that need to be notified because of the danger that they will spread as a result of trade between European Union (EU) countries.
It lays down the method for the rapid notification of these diseases so that their development can be monitored.
This notification allows the rapid application of various protection measures laid down in EU legislation.

KEY POINTS

To prevent the spread of certain contagious animal diseases, EU countries must notify the European Commission of:
- an outbreak* of any disease listed in Annex I to the directive;
- the removal of restrictions in relation to the outbreak of any of these diseases, after eradication of the last outbreak.
EU countries must :
- within 24 hours, notify the Commission and the other EU countries both of a primary outbreak* and the removal of restrictions imposed after the eradication of the last outbreak; and
- notify the Commission of any secondary outbreaks* confirmed in their territory on the first working day of each week. This information is then transmitted by the Commission to the veterinary headquarters in each EU country.
The Commission is assisted in its work by the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed.

Repeal

The directive will be repealed and replaced by Regulation (EU) 2016/429 from 21 April 2021.

FROM WHEN DOES THE DIRECTIVE APPLY?

It has applied since 23 December 1982. EU countries had to incorporate it into national law by 1 January 1984.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

‘Notification system’ on the European Commission's website

* KEY TERMS

Aquaculture: the farming of fish, shellfish, aquatic plants, seaweed, etc.

Outbreak: the farm or the place, located in EU territory, where animals are kept together and where one or more cases has or have been officially confirmed.

Primary outbreak: any outbreak not linked with a previous outbreak in the same region of an EU country, or the first outbreak in a different region of the same EU country.

Secondary outbreak: an outbreak following a primary outbreak in an already infected region.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Directive 82/894/EEC of 21 December 1982 on the notification of animal diseases within the Community (OJ L 378, 31.12.1982, pp. 58–62

Subsequent amendments to Directive 82/894/EEC have been incorporated in the basic text. This consolidated version has a purely documentary value.