ARCHIVE: International trade: Importer Information Notes - Bluetongue

To:  Interested parties                                                22 June 2010

Removal of Bluetongue 8 (BTV8) Lower Risk Zone in England, Scotland and Wales

To make importers and exporters aware of the changes to the BTV8 zone in GB. The changes will take effect from 05 July 2011.

Background

GB has remained part of a Protection Zone for BTV8 since our first case of disease in 2007. We have had no cases of BTV 8 since 2008 and our last national surveillance exercise which was carried out in November 2010 showed that we are free from circulating disease. On 12th June 2010 the European Commission agreed that GB could implement a Lower Risk Zone (LRZ) which has acted as a first step toward freedom from disease.

The Bluetongue situation in the rest of Europe also appears to have improved significantly with no reports of active BTV8 circulation in any Northern EU Member State. BTV experts have advised that the threat of disease entering GB via an imported animal or via windborne incursion appears to have reduced considerably.

Having now completed 2 years of surveillance to demonstrate absence of disease circulation, GB is in a position to declare ourselves free from BTV8 and remove the zones that have been in place.

EU law does not permit vaccination outside of a protection zone, and therefore BTV8 vaccination will no longer be allowed once GB is declared BTV free.

Action

From 05 July 2011 bluetongue susceptible animals being exported from GB will no longer need to be vaccinated against BTV8 or meet any of the other ‘Annex III conditions. Vaccination of animals in GB after 05 July will not be permitted. Any farmers wishing to vaccinate their livestock against bluetongue must do so before the 05 July.

However, if animals moving out of GB to another free zone are transiting a restricted zone insecticide treatment is required.

There is no change to the rules for imports into GB from countries/areas that are in bluetongue zones.

The UK applies transitional arrangements for bluetongue susceptible animals under Article 9a of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007.The UK will only accept animals under Annex III. A 5-7 conditions of the Regulation which are set out in the annex to this IIN. The UK does not accept animals under Annex III A. 1- 4 which provide for vector free or vector proof conditions.

Moves to slaughter are allowed if the animals are moving directly to slaughter.

Maintaining these restrictions on movements from bluetongue zones will ensure that BTV8 will not return to GB through moves from these areas.

We expect the conditions most likely to be used for moves into GB would be:

  • vaccination plus 60 day wait
  • vaccination plus a test 14 days after onset of immunity
  • booster vaccination within time period of immunity

Full details on conditions for exemption from the bluetongue exit ban are referred to in Articles 7(2)(a) and 8(1)(a) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007, and set out in point 1 to 7 of Annex III A.  As stated above, GB will only accept animals meeting the conditions in point 5 to 7. A copy of the Bluetongue Regulation 1266/2007 can be found at the following link Bluetongue Regulation.

Post Import Testing

Post import testing will continue on a risk-based regime, as for other diseases, whereby imports will be tested depending on the risk of each susceptible consignment.

In cases where zoos are expecting imports from BT susceptible exotic ruminants there is currently the option to agree bilaterally the conditions under which the animals can be imported, as in many cases Annex III requirements cannot be met.

Importers should inform Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) Special Service Centre for imports of any such proposed imports well in advance.

Which countries are in which zones?

The list of restriction zones per bluetongue serotype that have been demarcated by the EU Member States can be found in the table at the following link:

http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/controlmeasures/bluetongue_en.htm#zones

Contact point for Enquiries

AHIT Chelmsford
01245 454860
Fax: 01245 351162
E-mail: AHITChelmsford@animalhealth.gsi.gov.uk

 

Annex

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007 - Annex 3 conditions (Points 5 to 7)

Annex III conditions’ - Exemptions from the Bluetongue Exit Ban

Vaccination

5. The animals originate from a herd vaccinated according to a vaccination programme adopted by the competent authority and the animals have been vaccinated against the serotype(s) present or likely to be present in an epidemiologically relevant geographical area of origin, the animals are still within the immunity period of time guaranteed in the specifications of the vaccine approved in the vaccination programme and the animals meet at least one of the following requirements:

(a) they have been vaccinated more than 60 days before the date of movement;

(b) they have been vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine before at least the number of days necessary for the onset of the immunity protection set in the specifications of the vaccine approved in the vaccination programme and were subjected to an agent identification test, with negative results, carried out at least 14 days after the onset of the immunity protection set in the specifications of the vaccine approved in the vaccination programme;

(c) they were previously vaccinated and they have been re-vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine within the immunity period of time guaranteed in the specifications of the vaccine approved in the vaccination programme;

(d) they were kept during the seasonally vector-free period, defined in accordance with Annex V, in a bluetongue seasonally-free zone, since birth or for a period of at least 60 days before the date of vaccination and have been vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine before at least the number of days necessary for the onset of the immunity protection set in the specifications of the vaccine approved in the vaccination programme.

Natural Immunity

6. The animals have never been vaccinated against bluetongue and were always kept in an epidemiologically relevant geographical area of origin where not more than one serotype was or is present or likely to be present and:

(a) they were subjected to two serological tests to detect antibodies against the bluetongue virus serotype, with positive results; the first test must be carried out on samples taken between 60 and 360 days before the date of movement and the second test being carried out on samples taken not earlier than seven days before the date of the movement; or

(b) they were subjected to a serological test according to detect antibodies against the bluetongue virus serotype, with positive results; the test must be carried out at least 30 days before the date of the movement and the animals were subjected to an agent identification test, with negative results, carried out not earlier than seven days before date of the movement.

7. The animals have never been vaccinated against the bluetongue virus and were subjected with positive results to two adequate serological tests able to detect the specific antibodies against all the bluetongue virus serotypes present or likely to be present, in the epidemiologically relevant geographical area of origin, and:

(a) the first test must have been carried out on samples that were taken between 60 and 360 days before the date of movement and the second test must have been carried out on samples that were taken not earlier than seven days before the date of movement; or

(b) the specific serotype serological test must have been carried out at least 30 days before the date of the movement and the animals were subjected to an agent identification test with negative results, carried out not earlier than seven days before the date of movement.

Pregnant Animals

For pregnant animals, at least one of the conditions set out in points 5, 6 and 7 must be complied with before insemination or mating, or the condition set out in point 3 must be complied with. In case a serological test, as set out in point 3, is carried out, that test shall be carried out not earlier than seven days before the date of movement.

Page last modified: 22 June, 2011