Brussels, 17/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 13 July, the EU Council of Ministers decided without debate not to oppose a decision of the Commission to include Saint Lucia in the list of third countries which comply with certain EU requirements concerning rabies. Saint Lucia is a Caribbean state, located between Martinique and St Vincent and the Grenadines, and is a member of the Commonwealth.
Third countries listed in part C of Annex II to Regulation 998/2003 are considered to fulfil the requirements relating to the notification of suspected cases, the monitoring system, the structure and organisation of their veterinary services, the implementation of regulatory measures for the prevention and control of rabies and the regulations on the marketing of anti-rabies vaccines. The risk of rabies entering the EU as a result of movements of pets from third countries on this list is deemed to be no higher than the risk associated with movements between member states. (L.C./transl.jl)