COMMISSION DECISION

of 11 December 2007

approving certain national programmes for the control of salmonella in flocks of laying hens of

Gallus gallus

(notified under document number C(2007) 6100)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2007/848/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 November 2003 on the control of salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents(1) and, in particular Article 6(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) The purpose of Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 is to ensure that proper and effective measures are taken to detect and control salmonella and other zoonotic agents at all relevant stages of production, processing and distribution, particularly at the level of primary production, in order to reduce their prevalence and the risk they pose to public health.

(2) A Community target was established for the reduction of the prevalence of all salmonella serotypes with public health significance in laying flocks of

Gallus gallus

at the level of primary production by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1168/2006 of 31 July 2006 implementing Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards a Community target for the reduction of the prevalence of certain salmonella serotypes in laying hens of

Gallus gallus

and amending Regulation (EC) No 1003/2005(2).

(3) In order to achieve the Community target Member States are to establish national programmes for the control of salmonella in laying flocks of

Gallus gallus

and submit them to the Commission in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003.

(4) Certain Member States have submitted their national programmes for the control of salmonella in laying flocks of

Gallus gallus

(5) Those programmes were found to comply with relevant Community veterinary legislation and in particular with Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003.

(6) The national control programmes should therefore be approved.

(7) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION

Article 1

The national programmes for the control of salmonella in laying flocks of

Gallus gallus

submitted by the Member States listed in the Annex are approved.

Article 2

This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2008.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 11 December 2007.

For the Commission

Markos

KYPRIANOU

Member of the Commission

(1)

OJ L 325, 12.12.2003, p. 1

. Regulation as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1237/2007 (

OJ L 280, 24.10.2007, p. 5

(2)

OJ L 211, 1.8.2006, p. 4

ANNEX

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Czech Republic

Cyprus

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Luxemburg

The Netherlands

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Slovenia

Slovakia

Spain

Sweden

The United Kingdom