Control measures: avian influenza

The European Union is creating the legal framework needed to quickly and effectively combat avian influenza.

ACT

Council Directive 92/40/EEC of 19 May 1992 introducing Community measures for the control of avian influenza. [See amending acts]

SUMMARY

This Directive lays down Community measures to eradicate and prevent the spread of avian influenza on poultry farms should an outbreak occur. It was repealed on 1 July 2007 (see Related Acts below).

Measures where contamination is suspected

Where operators suspect that avian influenza is present in poultry, they must inform the competent authority.

The holding will then be placed under surveillance and an official veterinarian must perform the analyses needed to confirm the presence of the disease.

Movements of people, poultry and products will be regulated: the suspect poultry will be isolated, movements of poultry to or from the holding will be prohibited and movements of people will be subject to authorisation.

Measures where contamination is confirmed

If the presence of avian influenza is confirmed, the following steps must be taken:

• all the poultry on the holding must be slaughtered on the spot without delay and the carcasses and eggs destroyed;
• any material and waste likely to be contaminated must be destroyed;
• all meat from poultry reared on the holding and slaughtered during the presumed incubation period of the disease must be found and destroyed, together with any eggs laid during that period that left the holding;
• the premises must be cleaned and disinfected, as well as any equipment and material that was in contact with the infected animals.

The Directive also prohibits the removal of the poultry and poultry products from areas specified by the competent authority as protection zones (within a 3 kilometre radius of the infected holding) or surveillance zones (10 kilometres). The use of such zones is important for the operation of the single market and for trade with third countries.

Within the protection and surveillance zones, measures must be taken to:

• identify the holdings on which the poultry is held and undertake a clinical examination of it;
• restrict the movements of people, animals and products within the zone (isolate the poultry, prohibit movements of poultry and eggs outside their holding or zone and make movements of people subject to authorisation, etc.).

The measures concerning the protection and surveillance zones shall cease at the earliest 21 and 30 days respectively after the preliminary cleaning and disinfection operations on the infected holding.

Laboratories and emergency plans

A Community reference laboratory for avian influenza has been nominated, tasked with:

• coordinating, in consultation with the Commission, the diagnosis methods for avian influenza between the Member States;
• helping to identify the sources of avian influenza in the Member States;
• facilitating the training or retraining of experts.

The Member States must nominate their own national reference laboratories responsible for coordinating standards and methods of diagnosis, the use of reagents and the testing of vaccines.

They must also draw up an emergency plan, specifying which measures will be taken at national level in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza.

RELATED ACTS

Council Directive 2005/94/EC of 20 December 2005 on Community measures for the control of avian influenza and repealing Directive 92/40/EEC [Official Journal L 10 of 14.1.2006].

Commission Decision of 4 August 2006 approving a Diagnostic Manual for avian influenza as provided for in Council Directive 2005/94/EC [Official Journal L 237 of 31.08.2006].

Specific surveillance and security measures

Commission Decision 2006/563/EC of 11 August 2006 concerning certain protection measures in relation to highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5N1 in wild birds in the Community and repealing Decision 2006/115/EC [Official Journal L 222 of 15.08.2006].

Commission Decision 2006/474/EC of 6 July 2006 concerning measures to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza caused by influenza A virus of subtype H5N1 to birds kept in zoos and approved bodies, institutes and centres in the Member States and repealing Decision 2005/744/EC [Official Journal L 187 of 08.07.2006].

Commission Decision 2006/416/EC of 14 June 2006 concerning certain transitional measures in relation to highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry or other captive birds in the Community [Official Journal L 164 of 16.06.2006].

Commission Decision 2006/415/EC concerning certain protection measures in relation to highly pathogenic avian influenza of the subtype H5N1 in poultry in the Community and repealing Decision 2006/135/EC [Official Journal L 164 of 16.06.2006].

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 [Official Journal L 274 of 20.10.2005].

This Decision has been amended by:

Decision 2005/745/EC [Official Journal L 279 of 22.10.2005];

Decision 2005/855/EC [Official Journal L 316 of 02.12.2005];

Decision 2006/405/EC [Official Journal L 158 of 10.06.2006];

Decision 2006/574/EC [Official Journal L 228 of 22.08.2006].

Commission Decision 2005/731/EC of 17 October 2005 laying down additional requirements for the surveillance of avian influenza in wild birds [Official Journal L 274 of 20.10.2005]

This decision was extended by Decision 2006/52/EC [Official Journal L 27 of 01.02.2006]

Implementation of surveys on avian influenza

2005/2006:

Commission Decision 2005/464/EC of 21 June 2005 on the implementation of survey programmes for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds to be carried out in the Member States [Official Journal L 164 of 24.6.2005]

2004:

Commission Decision 2004/111/EC of 29 January 2004 on the implementation of surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds in Member States, to be carried out during 2004 [Official Journal L 32 of 5.2.2004]

This Decision has been amended by Decision 2004/615/EC [Official Journal L 278 of 27.8.2004].

2002/2003:

Commission Decision 2002/649/EC of 5 August 2002 on the implementation of surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds in the Member States [Official Journal L 213 of 9.8.2002]

Approval of surveys on avian influenza

Commission Decision 2006/314/EC of 16 March 2006 approving the Member States' survey programmes for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds during 2006 [Official Journal L 116 of 29.04.2006]

Commission Decision 2005/732/EC of 17 October 2005 approving the programmes for the implementation of Member States' surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds during 2005 and laying down reporting and eligibility rules for the Community financial contribution to the implementation costs of those programmes [Official Journal L 274 of 20.10.2005].

Commission Decision of 2004/630/EC of 27 July 2004 approving the programmes for the implementation of Member States' surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds during 2004 and laying down reporting and eligibility rules for the financial contribution from the Community to the implementation costs of those programmes [Official Journal L 287, 8.9.2004]

This Decision has been amended by Decision 2004/679/EC [Official Journal L 310 of 7.10.2004].

Commission Decision 2002/673/EC of 22 August 2002 approving the programmes for the implementation of Member States' surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds [Official Journal L 228, 24.8.2002]

This Decision has been amended by Decision 2003/21/EC [Official Journal L 8 of 14.1.2003].

Community reference laboratory

Commission Decision 96/99/EC of 12 January 1996 on financial aid from the Community for the operation of the Community Reference Laboratory for avian influenza (Central Veterinary Laboratory, Addlestone, United Kingdom) [Official Journal L 23 of 30.1.1996].

This Decision has been amended by Decision 97/421/EC [Official Journal L 179 of 08.07.1997].

See also

Additional information is available on the website of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection .

Last updated: 25.10.2007