Brussels, 04/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 3 April, EU member states supported the European Commission's proposed package to update the rules on bluetongue. This is a viral disease that is transmitted by Culicoide type vectors (insects or flies). The species that are particularly sensitive to this virus are domestic and wild ruminants (sheep, cattle and goats). The disease only affects animals.
A draft legal text was presented at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) that reflects the new rules, which came into force as of 22 March, allowing the use of inactivated vaccines against Bluetongue in all parts of the EU. The member states endorsed the amendment of the rules on movement restrictions and monitoring of bluetongue in line with recent scientific opinions that were prepared by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), following a Commission request. The proposed amendment of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007 allows for more flexibility for member states to design surveillance programmes for Bluetongue and reduces the burden for farmers and central authorities, where possible. The member states also endorsed amendments to the rules governing requirements applicable to the import of cattle, sheep and goats into the EU as regards Bluetongue. It should be noted that the Bluetongue situation in the EU has improved considerably over the past years. This success can be attributed primarily to the vaccination campaigns, using inactivated vaccines, which the EU has co-financed over the years (€150 million in 2008, and allocation of €120 million in 2009, €100 million in 2010 and €16 million in 2011). In 2008, a total of 45,000 outbreaks were reported across the EU. That number dropped to 1,118 in 2009, 176 in 2010 and only 39 in 2011. (LC/transl.fl)