Animal diseases: foot-and-mouth disease (repeal. Directive 85/511/EEC and Decisions 89/531/EEC and 91/665/EEC; amend. Directive 92/46/EEC)

The committee adopted the report by Wolfgang KREISSL-DÖRFLER (PES, D) broadly approving the Commission·s proposed directive (under the consultation procedure), which largely takes on board the recommendations of Parliament's Temporary Committee on Foot-and-Mouth Disease issued in December 2002. However it did adopt several amendments designed to ensure that emergency vaccination must be ·the first choice· solution if an outbreak of FMD is suspected or confirmed. It also sought to achieve a shift in emphasis in EU policy to ensure that the social and psychological impact on the public of diseases like the FMD is addressed alongside purely commercial considerations. Another important amendment adopted proposes that the decision to introduce emergency vaccination could be taken not only at the request of the Commission or of the Member State affected, but also by any neighbouring country at risk.�