Public health: control of salmonella and food-born zoonotic agents

2001/0177(COD)
PURPOSE : ensure that proper and effective measures are taken to detect and to control salmonella and other zoonotic agents at all relevant stages of production, processing and distribution, particularly at the level of primary production, including in feed, in order to reduce their prevalence and the risk they pose to public health. LEGISLATIVE ACT : Regulation 2160/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the control of salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents. CONTENT : the "zoonoses package" revises and replaces Directive 92/117/EEC of the Council concerning measures for protection against specified zoonoses and specific zoonotic agents in animals and products of animal origin in order to prevent outbreaks of food-borne infections and intoxications. The Regulation on control of salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents provides for effective measures to be progressively implemented to control specified food-borne zoonotic agents, primarily in specified animal populations but possibly also at other stages of the food chain where appropriate, in order to reduce the risk these agents pose to public health. The primary aim is to control salmonella with public health significance in critical categories of animals. The objectives of the Regulation are to: - progressively set Community targets for the reduction of the prevalence of specified zoonotic agents and implement related national control programmes; - provide for a procedure by which the use of specific control measures may be subject to particular requirements or restrictions; - provide for rules for trade and imports of live animals and hatching eggs to be set; - set specific requirements concerning animal populations covered by control measures and, where appropriate, after transitional periods have elapsed. This Regulation shall cover: a) the adoption of targets for the reduction of the prevalence of specified zoonoses in animal populations: i) at the level of primary production; and ii) where appropriate for the zoonosis or zoonotic agent concerned, at other stages of the food chain, including in food and feed; b) the approval of specific control programmes established by Member States and food and feed business operators; c) the adoption of specific rules concerning certain control methods applied in the reduction of the prevalence of zoonoses and zoonotic agents; d) the adoption of rules concerning intra-Community trade and imports from third countries of certain animals and products thereof. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 12/12/2003. It shall apply as from 12/06/2004.�