The EU Commission has today (Monday, February 20) adopted harmonised rules on the vaccination of animals against serious diseases.
The move is part of measures to address the largest epidemic of avian influenza (bird flu) seen across the European Union to date.
Although the disease typically affects birds, infection has been found in mammals including pigs, seals, wild boars and foxes. Last month, bird flu was confirmed at a mink farm in Spain.
Strict bio-security measures at farm level are recommended as the first line of protection against the introduction and spread of the disease for poultry or captive birds.
Commission
The EU Commission said that in the context of avian flu specific rules for vaccination will be introduced when used as a measure to control or prevent the disease.
The commission said that “this will allow safe movements of animals and products from establishments and zones where vaccination has taken place”.
The commission said that the new rules, which come into force on March 12, 2023, are in line with the international standards of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and take account of “newly available scientific knowledge”.
Member states that decide to adopt a bird flu vaccination plan must inform the commission and the other EU countries, along with providing regular reports.
The commission said that vaccinated birds may still become infected by the virus, therefore flocks must still be carefully monitored to detect any infections.
Commenting on the development, Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said:
“In light of the most serious outbreak in recent history in the EU, the fight against avian influenza is at the top of our priorities.
“These outbreaks are causing enormous damage to this agricultural sector and hamper trade.
“The rules presented today will allow for a harmonisation of the use of vaccination to prevent or control the spread of the disease and set conditions to enable movement of vaccinated animals and their products,” the commissioner said.
Last week, the EU Commission approved a €150 million scheme aimed at compensating businesses affected by bird flu in France.
The scheme targets businesses that are “downstream” from the poultry sector.
These include slaughtering and processing companies; egg packing centres; and specialised service companies involved in transport, cleaning, animal feed, and processing.