Measures for the control of Newcastle disease

PURPOSE: to streamline measures for the control of Newcastle disease.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Directive (EU) 2018/597 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 92/66/EEC introducing Community measures for the control of Newcastle disease.

CONTENT: Directive 92/66/EEC lays down the Union control measures to be taken in the event of an outbreak of Newcastle disease in poultry, racing pigeons and other birds kept in captivity.

This Directive consists of a technical revision of Directive 92/66/EEC allowing the use of the implementing procedure to designate a new reference laboratory for Newcastle disease. These implementing powers shall be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council on comitology.

The functions and duties of the European Union reference laboratory for Newcastle disease shall be:

• to coordinate, in consultation with the Commission, the methods employed in the Member States for diagnosing Newcastle disease;
• to actively assist in the diagnosis of outbreaks of Newcastle disease in Member States by receiving virus isolates for confirmatory diagnosis, characterisation and epidemiology studies;
• to facilitate the training or retraining of experts in laboratory diagnosis with a view to the harmonisation of techniques throughout the Union.

Each Member State shall draw up a contingency plan, specifying the national measures to be implemented in the event of an outbreak of Newcastle disease. The contingency plan shall be updated, as appropriate, to take account of developments in the situation.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 24.4.2018.

TRANSPOSITION: no later than 30.6.2018.

APPLICATION: from 1.1.2019.