Brussels, 15/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - On 1 April 2004, the European Commission set in place a new computerised system for the management of movements of animals from outside the EU and also on EU territory. Known as TRACES, the system consolidates and simplifies the existing instruments. It is expected to make it easier to react to epizootic diseases. According to Commissioner David Byrne, TRACES should largely facilitate monitoring of 50,000 animals transported each day throughout the European Union.
The Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) will create the only central database for following animal movements and certain types of products both within the EU and from outside the EU. The system has been conceived to: - improve the quantity and quality of information allowing animal movements to be followed; - improve information exchange between national and Community authorities; - provide a system of electronic veterinary certificates allowing trade operators to receive relevant information on-line; - manage the lists of establishments in countries outside the EU that are authorised to export products of animal origin to the EU; - manage loads rejected at EU borders; - target controls on public and animal health and the wellbeing of animals and above all verify respect of the rules of animal transport; - centralise potential epidemic risk assessments; - overcome linguistic difficulties by making information from other countries more accessible; - and integrate all the users concerned by setting in place a system so that operations for exchanging documents between economic operators and the relevant authorities can be carried out.
TRACES will replace several earlier systems. The replacement of these various systems with a single system will make it possible to avoid duplication and to simplify and make more effective the monitoring of animal movements both within the EU and from outside the EU. The creation of a single database costing EUR 2.2 million will also facilitate intervention if an epizootic disease breaks out. The TRACES system has been in the process of being set up since 1 April 2004 but Member States that are not yet ready may continue to use the old system (ANIMO) until 31 December 2004.
Austria, Italy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Finland joined the system at the outset, on 1 April. The other Member States will join gradually over coming months.