The United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and France informed the other Member States and the Commission on 19 October 1999, 12 November 1999, 13 January 2000 and 17 February 2000 respectively of recent outbreaks of Pepino mosaic virus on tomato crops, in their respective countries and on the measures taken to control it with the aim of eradication.

As many infections with that virus run a subclinical course, control measures should be directed to the eradication of the infection rather than to the suppression of symptoms.

Experience shows that feeding catering waste to pigs can constitute a risk of spreading the classical swine fever virus as a result of lack of effectiveness of the treatment control measures.

This Directive defines the minimum Community control measures to be applied in the event of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, whatever the type of virus concerned, without prejudice to the Community provisions governing intra-Community trade.

(2) Experience has shown that certain strains of the avian influenza virus, which are currently not covered by the control measures of the Directive, have the ability to mutate to highly pathogenic strains after having circulated in the poultry population for some time.

in accordance with the provisions of Article 13(3) of Council Directive 85/511/EEC of 18 November 1985 introducing Community measures for the control of foot-and-mouth disease (3), a decision may be taken to introduce emergency vaccination in a limited area, in circumstances where slaughter of the entire herd may not be sufficient to eliminate the virus;

the minimum control measures to be applied in the event of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease of whatever type of virus;

Pathogenicity indices of greater than 0,7 indicate the presence of virus requiring the full implementation of control measures.

Because it is important that control measures aimed at limiting the spread of virus should be implemented as soon as possible, each regional laboratory should be in a position to identify any isolated haemagglutinating virus as influenza viruses of H5 or H7 subtype in addition to Newcastle disease virus.

This Directive defines the Community control measures to be applied in the event of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, whatever the type of virus concerned.'

However, it is important that interim control measures for Newcastle disease aimed at limiting the spread of the virus should be implemented as soon as possible and regional laboratories should be able to identify the presence of Newcastle disease virus.

Positive inhibition 1. e. 24, or more, with the Newcastle disease virus specific polyclonal antiserum of titre known to be at least 29 would serve as preliminary identification enabling the imposition of interim control measures.

National Laboratories should have the competence to identify all vesicular disease viruses and encephalomyocarditis virus in order to avoid delays in diagnosis and consequently in implementing control measures by the competent authorities.

In the event of an outbreak it may be necessary to apply control measures not only to infected animals of susceptible species, but also to contaminated animals of species not susceptible to the disease which may be mechanical vectors for the virus.

In late 1999 and early 2000, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, informed the other Member States and the Commission of outbreaks of Pepino mosaic virus on tomato crops in their countries and of the measures taken to control it.

Experience has shown that certain strains of the avian influenza virus, which are currently not covered by the control measures of the Directive, have the ability to mutate to highly pathogenic strains after having circulated in the poultry population for some time.

In the light of the emergence of new virus topotypes and regional deterioration of control measures, the Community, in close cooperation with the EUFMD and by using the Trust Fund 911100/MTF/INT/003/EEC, supported emergency vaccination campaigns in Turkey in 1998 and in Transcaucasia in 1999 and 2000.

As a matter of precaution, in relation to the risks of a deliberate release of foot-and-mouth disease virus, it is appropriate to apply specific procedures to the procurement of antigens for the Community antigen and vaccine bank and to the publication of certain details relating to disease control measures.

Intravenous pathogenicity indices of greater than 1.2 indicate the presence of virus requiring a full implementation of control measures (it would be a useful exercise if national Laboratories also carried out tests to determine the capacity of an isolate to produce plaques in cell cultures as specified in Chapter 8).

whereas the marketing of poultry constitutes an important source of revenue for the agricultural population; Whereas, it is necessary to establish at Community level the control measures to be taken in the event of outbreak of the highly pathogenic form of avian influenza, caused by an influenza virus with specific characteristics, and hereinafter termed avian influenza, in order to ensure national development of the poultry sector and contribute to the protection of animal health in the Community;

Methods of analysis, detection and control: The objective is to contribute to the development, improvement, validation and harmonisation of reliable and cost-effective sampling and measurement strategies for chemical contaminants and existing or emerging pathogenic micro-organisms (such as viruses, bacteria, yeasts, fungi, parasites, and new agents of the prion type including development of ante mortem diagnostic tests for BSE and scrapie) so as to controll the safety of the food and feed supply and ensure accurate data for risk analysis.

products in the unprocessed state or having undergone only simple preparation such as milling, drying or pressing, derived from plants, but excluding plants themselves as defined in point 6; 'harmful organisms' pests of plants or plant products belonging to the animal or plant kingdom, and also viruses, bacteria and mycoplasmas and other pathogens; 'animals' animals belonging to species normally fed and kept or consumed by man; 'placing on the market' any supply, whether in return for payment or free of charge, other than for storage followed by consignment from the territory of the Community or disposal. Importation of a plant protection product into the territory of the Community shall be deemed to constitute placing on the market for the purposes of this Directive; 'authorization of a plant protection product' administrative act by which the competent authority of a Member State authorizes, following an application submitted by an applicant, the placing on the market of a plant protection product in its territory or in a part thereof; 'environment' water, air, land, wild species of fauna and flora, and any interrelationship between them, as well as any relationship with living organisms; 'integrated control' the rational application of a combination of biological, biotechnological, chemical, cultural or plant-breeding measures whereby the use of chemical plant protection products is limited to the strict minimum necessary to maintain the pest population at levels below those causing economically unacceptable damage or loss. General provisions