Decision 2010/346 - 2010/346/: Commission Decision of 18 June 2010 on protective measures with regard to equine infectious anaemia in Romania (notified under document C(2010) 3767) - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 155/48

Equine infectious anaemia (‘EIA’) is a viral disease affecting only animals of the family Equidae. The incubation period is normally one to three weeks, but may be as long as three months. Infected equidae remain infectious for life and can potentially transmit the infection to other equidae. Infection with EIA tends to become inapparent if death does not result from one of the acute clinical attacks during viraemia, and thus the likelihood of transmission is substantially increased. Local transmission occurs by the transfer of blood from an infected equine animal via interrupted feeding of bloodsucking horseflies and in utero to the foetus. The main means of the long distance spread of the disease is the movement of infected animals, their semen, ova and embryos, and the use of contaminated needles or infusion of blood products containing the virus.

EIA is a compulsorily notifiable disease in accordance with Annex A to Council Directive 90/426/EEC of 26 June 1990 on animal health conditions governing the movement and import from third countries of equidae (2). In addition, Council Directive 82/894/EEC of 21 December 1982 on the notification of animal diseases within the Community (3) provides that outbreaks of EIA are to be notified to the Commission and other Member States through the Animal Disease Notification System (‘ADNS’).

Article 4(5) of Directive 90/426/EEC provides for restrictions concerning the movement of equidae from holdings where the presence of EIA has been confirmed until, following the slaughter of the infected animals, the remaining animals have undergone two Coggins tests with negative results.

Unlike the animal health situation in other Member States, EIA is endemic in Romania and the immediate slaughter of infectious equidae is not implemented. For that reason, Commission Decision 2007/269/EC of 23 April 2007 on protective measures with regard to equine infectious anaemia in Romania (4) was adopted.

However, recent cases of EIA in equidae for breeding and production dispatched from Romania to other Member States, and the recently published outcome of a veterinary inspection mission carried out by the Commission’s services in 2009 in that Member State in accordance with Article 10 of Directive 90/426/EEC (5), indicate that Decision 2007/269/EC is poorly implemented, enforced and monitored.

In view of trade in live equidae, their semen, ova and embryos, the disease situation in Romania presents an animal health risk for equidae in the Union. It is therefore appropriate to adopt protective measures laying down a specific regime for the movement of and trade in equidae and equine semen, ova and embryos, as well as certain equine blood products from Romania in order to safeguard the health and welfare of equidae in the Union.

The prevalence of the disease is not equally distributed throughout Romania and between various categories of equidae in that Member State. This situation allows applying less stringent conditions for the movement of certain registered horses for competition and races and should allow, in future, defining disease free...