224 C
. Leiding Livestock Production Science 62 2000 221 –236 Table 3
rules that preserve its health status and must, finally,
EU-directive 90 429 EEC
be accompanied by an animal health certificate.
Chapter I General provisions
One problem is the difference in the policies
Chapter II Intra-community trade
pursued within the Community with regard to vacci-
rd
Chapter III Import from 3
countries
nation against certain diseases. This justifies mainte-
- list of countries
nance of derogations for a limited time, authorizing
- list of semen collection centres
the requirement by the Member State of additional
Chapter IV Precautionary and control measures
Chapter V Final provisions
protection against those diseases.
- advance in technology
For importing semen from third countries a list of
Annex A
these countries was drawn up taking into account
Chapter I Approval of semen collection centres
animal health criteria. But this is not enough; import
Chapter II Supervision of semen collection centres
is authorized only from semen collection centres of
Annex B Chapter I
Admission of animals to approved centres
such countries which reach certain standards and
Chapter II Compulsory routine tests on approved centres
which are officially supervised. So called on-the-spot
Annex C Conditions which semen must satisfy for
checks are ensured in these countries.
intra-community trade
In order to prevent the transmission of certain
Annex D Semen shipment certificate
contagious diseases import controls can be carried out when a consignment of semen arrives in the EU.
Also, a Member State is permitted to take emergency measures in the event of an outbreak of a contagious
disease in another Member State or in a third
disease prevention. As far as possible these princi- country. The dangers associated with such diseases
ples have been followed by the EU-Commission. and the protective measures they necessitate have to
be assessed in the same way throughout the EU. Exceeding this directive, an emergency Community
procedure under which the necessary measures are
5. National regulations
taken was instituted within the Standing Veterinary Committee SVC. The SVC is the place of coopera-
In addition to these mentioned regulations in many tion between the Commission and the respective
countries disease prevention programmes were intro- Member States.
duced to improve the sanitary conditions in the Clarity is one of the most important prerequisites
respective country. in understanding the precautions of the directive
Many countries e.g. try to be recognized as ´
Table 3. Aujeszkys disease-free and work on a non-vaccina-
The principles laid down by the Commission are tion programme. Larger countries, like Germany,
in almost every detail enforced in the Articles and start with a regionalization programme to be fol-
Annexes of the EU-directive. On the way through lowed in the next step hopefully by total eradication
the directive the important points in connection with all over the country. For an AI-organisation situated
disease transmission are marked and mentioned see in a vaccinating region but working in a larger area
Annex B: EU-directive 90 429 EEC at the end of this can cause big problems in the transition period
this article. as some regions may ask for semen from non-
Finally, one point must never be forgotten. Several vaccinated boars as proposed by the new EU-direc-
times in the last years it turned out that efforts to tive Annex enforced from October 1999.
amend EU-directives were very difficult. Prerequi- Another example of an effort to get rid of a
sites for this procedure are clarity in decision finding, disease is the national anti-PRRS campaign in Den-
consultancy of scientists of international reputation, mark, which had to be postponed for several reasons
the balancing of economical and scientific positions shortly afterwards.
or interests and the existence of new methods of In this respect it should not be forgotten that
C . Leiding Livestock Production Science 62 2000 221 –236
225
fighting a certain disease is always dependent not to knowledge about the situation and, of course, to
the least extent on the economical possibilities of the protect the high-value AI-boars in the producing
country or the animal insurances, which are meant to sites, although an infection might not cause a trans-
pay an eradication campaign. mission with semen.
An AI-organisation has to deliver semen every day. Many farmers totally rely on this semen supply.
Precautions have to be taken to ensure semen
6. Other relevant problems production. An outbreak of any disease can interrupt
