EEC introducing minimum Community measures for the control of certain fish diseases - Main contents

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dossier	COM(1999)437 - Amendment of Directive 93/53/EEC introducing minimum Community measures for the control of certain fish diseases.
document	COM(1999)437
date	May 2, 2000

(1) Council Directive 93/53/EEC(4) lays down that, in order to control an outbreak of, inter alia, infectious salmon anaemia (ISA), all fish in an infected farm are to be immediately withdrawn.

(2) In May 1998, an outbreak of this disease occurred in Scotland, involving a number of sites that are infected or are suspected of being infected.

(3) Experience gained has shown that it is possible to spread the withdrawal over a period of time, without impairing the efforts to eradicate the disease.

(4) Under certain conditions, the application of provisions on vaccination may offer a new tool for controlling and containing ISA after an outbreak; at present no such option is provided for under Community legislation.

(5) It is desirable to investigate fully the source of ISA, possible spread of the disease and the interchange between farmed and wild salmon.

(6) No Community compensation has been payable to salmon farmers for the compulsory withdrawal of entire salmon farms under Directive 93/53/EEC.

(7) The measures necessary for the implementation of Directive 93/53/EEC are to be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission(5).

(8) Given the current state of scientific and technical evidence, Directive 95/53/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(9) Given the urgency of the matter it is imperative to grant an exception to the six-week period mentioned in part I point (3) of the Protocol on the role of national parliaments of the European Union annexed to the Treaty of Amsterdam.