HEALTH & CONSUMERS DIRECTORATE-GENERAL

Transcription

1 EUROPEAN COMMISSION HEALTH & CONSUMERS DIRECTORATE-GENERAL SANCO D1 D(08) SUMMARY RECORD OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE FOOD CHAIN AND ANIMAL HEALTH HELD IN BRUSSELS ON 15 OCTOBER 2008 (Section Animal Health and Welfare) (Section Controls and Import Conditions) President: Alberto Laddomada. All the Member States were present. Malta was partly absent but represented. 1. Update from the Member States on the bluetongue situation. The Belgian representative made a presentation on the issue. In 2008, in total, 13 outbreaks are confirmed. Latest information on vaccination shows that more than 2 million of vaccine doses have been distributed, mainly among cattle and sheep. Surveillance is ongoing and it seems that the number of positive samples is reduced in comparison to the positive samples found at the first trimester of The Czech representative made a presentation on the issue. In 2008, 4 outbreaks were notified. The first 3 were detected by pre-export testing and there were no clinical signs. The fourth and last positive case was confirmed on 23 September. The whole territory of the Czech Republic is considered as a protection zone. Vaccination started on 20 August and is mandatory for cattle, sheep and goats over 3 months of age. It is ongoing covering so far 79% of cattle population and 84% of sheep and goats. Serological monitoring has started in September testing 50 sentinel bovine animals per month. The Danish representative briefly informed the Committee that 3 additional outbreaks occurred since the last meeting of this Committee, raising the total number of outbreaks to 39 in Those last outbreaks were found in the area where vaccination started in September. The German representative informed that in 2008, the total number of new bluetongue cases is 1,857. Since the previous meeting of this Committee on 2 and 3 October, there are 459 further cases. A tender procedure has been launched for the supply of vaccine for the vaccination in The Spanish representative made a presentation on the issue. The number of BTV-1 outbreaks has increased to 1,377. The total number of BTV-8 outbreaks is 13, the last one reported in Malaga on 9 October 2008 in a sheep farm. Restriction measures applied within a radius of 150 km. 52 farms have been investigated. Clinical signs have been detected in 2 sheep holdings. The Spanish authorities are investigating 1

2 possible source of the disease because outbreaks of BTV-8 previously occurred in the northern part of the country and not in the southern part. Vaccination against both BTV-1 and BTV-8 originally planned to be applied simultaneously in the Cantabria region is postponed because of lack of vaccine against BTV-1. The vaccination programme against BTV-4 which is in place since November 2004 will be ceased soon, due to the fact that there are no outbreaks of BTV-4 since October The whole territory of Spain except the islands is under restriction, split in two restriction zones; one concerning BT serotypes 1, 4 and 8 and another concerning serotypes 1 and 8. Baleares and Canary islands are not part of the restriction zones. The French representative made a presentation on the issue. The number of BTV1 positive cases has increased to 3,029 (420 new cases since October 1) and of BTV8 to 19,899 (2,909 new cases since October 1). Vaccination against BTV1 is compulsory only in certain departments and against BTV8 is obligatory in animals intended for intra-community trade on the request of the Member State of destination. The data concerning the number of vaccines delivered is incomplete however, so far, it is estimated that for BTV8, 30 million doses were distributed in bovines and 11 million in small ruminants; for BTV1, 4.5 million of doses were distributed in bovines and 7 million in small ruminants. A tender procedure has been launched for the purchase of the necessary vaccine doses for the vaccination campaign of next year. A decision on the possibility to vaccinate the whole territory of France against BTV1 in the year 2009 has not been taken yet. In Italy, no further outbreaks occurred since March. Vaccination in the restriction zones for BTV1 covered about 80% of the total susceptible animals. Luxembourg's representative made a presentation on the issue. The number of infected holdings decreased since August. In total, there have been 15 outbreaks of BTV8. Vaccination covers so far 65% of the bovines and 80% of the ovine. In Hungary there are no further positive cases since the last meeting of this Committee. Vector activity has started. In the Netherlands 3 new positive cases were found during October in the northern part of the country, bringing the total number of outbreaks this year to 51. In Austria and Poland there is no occurrence of new positive cases. The Portuguese representative made a presentation on the issue. A new outbreak of BTV1 in sheep was confirmed on 3 October in an area which was free from bluetongue, most probably due to human movements between the holdings in the restricted and the free areas. The restricted area is enlarged. Vaccination is ongoing against bluetongue serotypes 1 and 4. There have been no new cases of BTV4. In Sweden 18 outbreaks have been reported (56 cases in cattle and sheep). Due to the spread of the disease to the north the restricted zone has been increased. Vaccination is under way. So far, 70 thousand animals are vaccinated. In the United Kingdom there is no evidence of virus circulation in However, there were some positive cases in animals imported from other countries. Scotland will become part of the restricted zone for the start of a (compulsory) vaccination campaign. 2

3 2. Information from Hungary on the eradication of Aujeszky's disease. The Hungarian representative made a presentation on the issue. A national control programme for Aujeszky s disease has been implemented since 1970 aiming to obtain additional guarantees on intra-community trade in live pigs. The data provided by the Hungarian authorities will be examined by the Commission's services before the country will be added to Annex II of Commission Decision 2008/185/EC which lists the Member States or regions where approved Aujeszky s disease control programmes are in place. 3. Information from Hungary and Slovakia on the situation of classical swine fever in wild boar and the control measures in place. The Hungarian representative made a presentation on the issue. In comparison to 2007, the number of positive cases has been increased to a total of 221 cases. Since January 2007, when the first positive case found in the Nógrád county in Hungary, the disease spread and to date, there are in that county in total 120 positive cases in wild boars. 101 further positive cases were found in the Pest county since December Due to the epidemiological situation, new measures applied in Hungary. The infected area was extended to also include two further counties. Slovakia will report on the situation in a future meeting of this Committee. 4. Information on the entry into force of the new certificates implementing Directive 2006/88/EC. The Commission's representative presented document SANCO/3317/2008: a working document providing information on the entry into force of the new certificates implementing Directive 2006/88/EC. The purpose of this document is to give an overview of the current animal health implementing legislation applicable to the placing on the market and imports of aquaculture animals and products thereof and of the new legislation already approved at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health that will repeal and replace it. New legislation consists of four documents (SANCO/1139/2008 and SANCO/1140/2008 voted in May 2008, SANCO/1319/2008 voted in June 2008 and SANCO/2771/2008 voted in September 2008). These four drafts are closely linked and need to be published at the same time. Due to the complexity of the translation of the four documents, a new delay in the entry into force/applicability of the four drafts is necessary. In addition, those drafts lay down several transitional periods and dates for the repeal of several provisions. The new date of entry into force of these four drafts is the 1 st of January 2009 and the transitional provisions will apply until 30 June

4 4A. Summary from the Commission on information received from the Member States on the progress made in preparing the introduction of electronic identification of sheep and goats according to Regulation (EC) No 21/2004. During the meeting the Commission has circulated a document which contains a summary of the information received from the Member States and Norway on the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 establishing a system for the identification and registration of ovine and caprine animals. The Member States which didn't provide the information until now where reminded to do so as soon as possible. 4B. Information from the Commission on reports received from the Member States in accordance with article 8 of Council Directive 64/432/EEC on the details of the occurrence of diseases listed in Annex E (I) thereof and of any other diseases covered by the additional guarantees provided for by Community legislation and of monitoring or eradication programme (not covered by Decision 2002/677/EC) in the territory of the Member States. (Doc. SANCO/10285/ Rev. 4) Since the last meeting of this Committee, Austria has requested the Commission to introduce some corrections which were taken into account for the preparation of revision 4 of document SANCO/10285/2008. Member States were asked to check the information included in the document and inform the Commission in case there are errors in order to correct them before finalising it. 4C. Information to the Member States on proposed reimbursements in the framework of the 2007 eradication and monitoring programmes. During the meeting two documents were distributed. The first one contained the Commission's proposed payments towards the 2007 avian influenza survey programme and the salmonella control programmes. The second one contained the Commission's proposed payments for the other 2007 eradication programmes in the Member States. In certain cases, the Commission imposed penalty varying between % according to the rate of improvement of the situation in each country. Some other Member States were asked, by the Commission, to provide the missing information in order to fix the amount to be reimbursed in the framework of the 2007 eradication and monitoring programmes. 4D. Information from Germany on the highly pathogenic avian influenza situation. The German representative made a presentation on the avian influenza situation in Saxony. An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza of the H5N1 subtype was confirmed on 7 October in a mixed poultry farm located in Markersdorf, Landkreis Görlitz. First results on the virus characterisation have shown that the virus is almost identical to the strain found in a tufted duck (Aythya fuligula) at the lake of Bautzen in Birds present on the farm have been killed and Areas A and B where movement restrictions apply to live poultry and certain poultry products have been established as required by Community legislation. 4

5 Low pathogenic avian influenza of the H5 subtype (not N1) has been confirmed on 2 October in a northern shoveler in the zoo of Leipzig. Birds testing positive to the virus were killed and others quarantined. A further outbreak of low pathogenic avian influenza of the subtype H5 was confirmed on 9 October in waterfowl kept on a small mixed holding in Mölkau near Leipzig. 5. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a draft Commission Decision on the evolution of animal diseases in the Community and in third countries. No item raised. 5A. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the committee on a draft Commission Decision amending Decision 2006/415/EC concerning certain protection measures in relation to an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza of the subtype H5N1 in poultry in Germany. (Doc. SANCO/3177/2008) Commission Decision 2006/415/EC concerning certain protection measures in relation to highly pathogenic avian influenza of the subtype H5N1 in poultry in the Community lays down certain protection measures to be applied in order to prevent the spread of that disease, including the establishment of areas A and B following a suspected or confirmed outbreak of the disease. Those areas are set out in the Annex to that Decision. On 10 October 2008, following a confirmed outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5N1 in Markersdorf (see point 4D), Landkreis Görlitz, Saxony, in Germany, the Commission adopted Decision 2008/795/EC concerning certain interim protection measures. That Decision defines the areas within which the protection measures provided for in Decision 2006/415/EC are to apply and the period of application of those measures. These interim protection measures have now been reviewed within the framework of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health and should be confirmed. The outbreak in Germany is located close to the border with Poland and therefore Poland has taken the appropriate protection measures as provided for in Decision 2006/415/EC, including the establishment of areas A and B on its territory. These areas should also be added to the Annex of Decision 2006/415/EC. Decision 2006/415/EC should therefore be amended accordingly and in the interests of clarity of Community legislation, Decision 2008/795/EC should be repealed. Vote: in favour, Malta represented by the UK. Please note that items 6, 7 and 8 were presented for an opinion at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health meeting of the Biological Safety section on 14 October 2008 and therefore have been withdrawn from the agenda of the Animal Health and Welfare and Controls and Import Conditions sections' meeting held on 15 October

6 6. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a draft Commission Decision as regards Community financial aid for the year 2009 to (certain) Community reference laboratories in the food and feed control area. (Doc. SANCO/3029/2008) 7. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a draft Commission Decision as regards Community financial aid for the year 2009 to Community reference laboratories in the field of animal health and live animals. (Doc. SANCO/3030/2008) 8. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a draft Commission Decision on the financing of expenditure of the JRC of the Commission for the activities of certain Community reference laboratories in the feed and food control area for the year (Doc. SANCO/3031/2008) 9. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a draft Commission Decision laying down measures with regard to imports of products of animal origin for personal consumption, amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 136/2004 and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 745/2004. (Doc. SANCO/2415/2008 Rev.7) The title of the draft Decision presented at the meeting has changed from the one included on the agenda, to read as follows: Draft Commission Regulation on the introduction into the Community of personal consignments of products of animal origin and amending Regulation (EC) No 136/2004. (Doc. SANCO/2415/2008 Rev.9) This draft Regulation was discussed during the last meetings of this Committee held on 2-3 (agenda item 14) and 16 (agenda item 5) September and on 2-3 October 2008 (agenda item 21). Member States have sent comments on the draft presented at the last meeting of this Committee which to a great extend were taken into account during the preparation of revision 9 of the document. The draft presented at the last meeting included the possibility for passengers coming from Croatia to the EU, to bring in their luggage products of animal origin in quantities below a certain threshold. During that meeting, the Commission stated that Croatia has agreed to modify its Action Plan for the control and eradication of classical swine fever (CSF) for domestic pigs and wild boar, to include measures concerning the control of travellers leaving their territory for the European Union. The Croatian Veterinary Inspections Directorate has sent a declaration to the Commission in relation to this draft, confirming what the Commission stated at the last meeting on this issue. The declaration was circulated by the Commission during the meeting. 6

7 Slovenia has made the following statement: "Slovenia expressed concerns regarding the draft Commission Regulation on the introduction into the Community of personal consignments of products of animal origin and amending Regulation (EC) No 136/2004 (SANCO/2415/2008) on several occasions and asked the Commission for additional assurances regarding the CSF situation in Croatia because of the recent outbreaks in spring Slovenia would like to thank the Commission for studying our concerns for possible introduction of CSF into the Community territory via personal luggage of travellers and for providing very high assurances regarding the legislation and control system in Croatia (Letter PB D(2008) 1627, dated 14 October 2008). We appreciate the efforts and the guaranties, given by the Commission. Nevertheless, Slovenia has to point out, that highest concentration of pig population is located near the border with Croatia. Therefore, the concerns of our industry remain serious. Taking into account the facts as set out above, Slovenia abstain from voting on draft Commission Regulation on the introduction into the Community of personal consignments of products of animal origin and amending Regulation (EC) No 136/2004 (SANCO/2415/ rev 9) at SCOFCAH meeting on 15 October 2008." Some Member States asked that this draft document be discussed in a working group meeting. The Commission will look into the possibility of organising such a meeting in November. Vote: qualified majority in favour, 11 votes abstained, Malta represented by the United Kingdom. 10. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a draft Commission Regulation amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 798/2008 laying down a list of third countries, territories, zones or compartments from which poultry and poultry products may be imported into and transit through the Community, and the veterinary certification requirements. (Doc. SANCO/2746/2008 Rev.3) The title of the draft Regulation presented at the meeting has changed from the one included on the agenda, to read as follows: Draft Commission Regulation concerning the approval of control programmes for salmonella in certain third countries in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council and listing of avian influenza surveillance programmes in certain third countries and amending Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 798/2008. (Doc. SANCO/2746/2008 Rev.3) (RF) Community provisions concerning health conditions for import from third countries and transit through the Community of poultry and certain poultry products are laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 798/2008. Article (10) of that Regulation requires for an avian influenza surveillance programme to be in place for a period for at least six months in the third country, territory, zone or 7

8 compartment. This requirement applies only to imports of live poultry and hatching eggs. The presence of a satisfactory avian influenza surveillance programme in the third country, territory, zone or compartment has to be indicated in Annex I to this Regulation. Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, South Africa, Switzerland and the United States of America have submitted their avian influenza surveillance programmes to the Commission for evaluation. The Commission has examined those programmes and they meet the requirements referred to in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 798/2008. Accordingly, those programmes should be indicated in Annex I to that Regulation. Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 on the control of Salmonella and other specified food-borne agents, lays down conditions for third countries with regard to the control of Salmonella. Admission to or retention on the list of third countries from which Member States are authorised to import the relevant animals and hatching eggs, is subject to the submission and approval by the Commission of a Salmonella control programme in the third country, equivalent to the control programme in the Member States. In addition, equivalent guarantees to Community provisions and testing for Salmonella in the flock of origin should be certified at import of live fowl (Gallus gallus) and eggs thereof. Croatia, the United States and Switzerland have submitted their control programmes as regards Salmonella which are approved by the Commission. Certain other third countries already listed in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 798/2008 have not yet submitted any control programme for Salmonella to the Commission, or the programmes already submitted do not provide guarantees equivalent to those provided for in Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003. Therefore, Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 798/2008 should be amended to add or to delete those third countries accordingly. Vote: in favour, Malta represented by the UK. 11. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a draft Commission Decision amending Decisions 2005/692/EC, 2005/731/EC, 2005/734/EC and 2007/25/EC concerning avian influenza as regards their period of application. (Doc. SANCO/3013/2008 Rev.1) The Commission has adopted several protection measures in relation to avian influenza, following the outbreaks of the virus strain HPAI H5N1 in south-east Asia that started in Those measures are laid down, in particular, in Decisions 2005/692/EC, 2005/731/EC, 2005/734/EC and 2007/25/EC. Those Decisions will expire on 31 December However, outbreaks of avian influenza caused by the HPAI H5N1 strain of the virus continue to occur in third countries and it is therefore appropriate to prolong the validity of those Decisions. The period of application of those Decisions should therefore be extended until 31 December In addition, the current references in Decision 2007/25/EC to the requirements laid down in Decision 2000/666/EC should be replaced with references to the requirements laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 318/2007. Decisions 2005/692/EC, 2005/731/EC, 2005/734/EC and 2007/25/EC should therefore be amended accordingly. Vote: in favour, Malta represented by the UK. 8

9 12. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a draft Commission Decision approving national programmes and the financial contribution from the Community for the eradication, control and monitoring of certain animal diseases and zoonoses, presented by the Member States for (Doc. SANCO/ 3028/2008 Rev.2) The title of the draft Decision presented at the meeting has changed from the one included on the agenda, to read as follows: Draft Commission Decision approving annual and multi-annual programmes and the financial contribution from the Community for the eradication, control and monitoring of certain animal diseases and zoonoses, presented by the Member States for 2009 and following years. (Doc. SANCO/ 3028/2008 Rev.2) Council Decision 90/424/EEC on expenditure in the veterinary field provides for financial aid from the Community for the eradication and monitoring of certain diseases and for checks aimed at the prevention of zoonoses. For this purpose programmes submitted by the Member States must be approved individually by the Community in accordance with Articles 24 (5) and 26 of the mentioned Decision. For the year 2009 the Member States have submitted a number of eradication, control and monitoring programmes. Those programmes were studied by the Commission within the context of the provisions of Council Decisions 90/424/EEC and 90/638/EEC. In 2008, certain Member States have also submitted to the Commission multi-annual programmes for the eradication, control and monitoring of the animal diseases, for which they wished to receive a financial contribution from the Community. The submitted programmes were studied by the Commission. Following the evaluation, 74 animal disease eradication and monitoring programmes (including the subsequent year (second) of the multi-annual programmes approved in 2008), 25 programmes for the control of zoonoses (salmonella in breeder, laying hens and broiler flocks), 27 TSEs monitoring programmes (including BSE and scrapie eradication programmes) and 27 Avian Influenza survey programmes qualified for a financial contribution in accordance with Article 24 (5) of Council Decisions 90/424/EEC. This draft Decision meets the obligation for the individual approval of each programme for the year 2009, together with the fixing of the level and the upper limit of the contribution as required by Article 24 (5) of Decision 90/424/EEC. It takes into account both the interest of the Community of the programmes submitted by the Member States and the volume of the budget available in view of the importance of those programmes for the protection of public and animal health, as well as the obligatory application in all Member States in the case of the TSE and AI programmes. The programmes will be financed by providing 50% of the costs incurred in the Member State concerned for the eligible measures foreseen in this draft Decision or 100% for certain tests as regards TSEs up to a maximum limit. A maximum amount for certain measures of the individual programmes is also laid down in this draft Decision. Some Member States expressed their disappointment for not been allocated the full requested amount concerning certain programmes. The Commission's representative explained that in the course of the year, if is deemed necessary, depending on the disease situation in each country, a reallocation exercise will be done in order to allocate further funds where needed. 9

10 Spain has made the following declaration which was supported by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Romania: "We would like to emphasize the necessity of a large scale vaccination against bluetongue to control and eradicate the disease in the medium term. In order to reach this goal, we shall need a financial contribution clearly higher than the amounts fixed in the Commission Decision that we are going to vote today. Nevertheless, we are going to vote in favour, taking into account the compromise taken by the Commissioner in the Agri-Council held last 29 th September and by the Director of Directorate D of the Commission's Directorate General for Health and Consumers, in the informal CVO meeting held in Strasbourg. We are confident that the European Commission will present a new proposal to this Committee as soon as possible which include enough funds to face a large scale vaccination programme." Vote: in favour, Malta represented by the United Kingdom. 13. Exchange of views of the Committee on a draft Commission Regulation laying down animal health conditions for imports of certain birds into the Community intended for international shows and exhibitions. (Doc. SANCO/3011/2008) Withdrawn from the agenda. 14. Exchange of views on a draft Commission Decision implementing Council Directive 2008/73/EC as regards Internet-based information pages containing lists of establishments and laboratories approved by Member States in accordance with Community veterinary and zootechnical legislation. (Doc. SANCO/1178/ Rev.1) The purpose of this Decision is to implement Council Directive 2008/73/EC as regards Internet-based information pages containing lists of establishments and laboratories approved by Member States in accordance with Community veterinary and zootechnical legislation. Intra-Community trade in certain live animals and their products is only permitted from establishments that comply with the relevant Community provisions and are approved for that purpose by the competent authorities of the Member State where they are located. In accordance with Council Directive 2008/73/EC, Member States are to draw up, keep up-to-date and make the lists of approved establishments in the veterinary and zootechnical fields, as well as information regarding national reference laboratories and certain other laboratories that they have designated in accordance with the relevant Community provisions, available to the other Member States and the public. In order to facilitate access to those lists by the other Member States and by the public, the lists should be made electronically available by Member States by means of Internet-based information pages. The Commission shall assist Member States in making those lists publicly available by providing the Internet address of a website which shall display national links to Internet-based information pages of the Member States. 10

11 In order to facilitate the use of those lists, a model for the layout of the Internet-based information pages should be drawn up. Commission Decision 2007/846/EC establishing a model for the lists of entities approved by Member States in accordance with various provisions of Community veterinary legislation, and the rules applying for the transmission of these lists to the Commission, establishes a common model for the lists of certain entities approved by Member States and the rules applying to the transmission of these lists. In the interests of clarity of Community legislation, Decision 2007/846/EC should be repealed and replaced by this draft Decision. The Commission's representative informed that this draft will be presented also during the next Standing Committee on Zootechnics in order to inform the experts on zootechnics. Member States should send comments to the Commission as soon as possible. The intention is to present the draft for an opinion in the next meeting of this Committee in December. Miscellaneous Issues raised by the Member States: The Austrian representative informed orally and distributed written information about the first two cases of West Nile Fever in wild birds in Austria. The first case was confirmed on 16 September in the Federal Province of Lower Austria and involved a dead hawk. The second case concerned a kea in the Federal Province of Vienna. Both were also tested against avian influenza and Newcastle disease, with negative results. To date, no infection in horses or in humans has been notified in Austria. All necessary measures were taken and are still in place. In the framework of the avian influenza surveillance programme, all wild birds are tested. All administrations in Austria in public health and veterinary sectors, falcone, zoo and hunting associations were informed, as well as the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health). The Commission's representative informed that due to the ongoing surveillance in Italy more cases of West Nile Fever in wild birds were found. The Italian representative made a presentation on the swine vesicular disease situation in Sicily requesting the recognition of the free status of that region from that disease. The Italian authorities have submitted their request following the fact that there were no outbreaks during the last two years in that region and that the result of the last FVO (Food and Veterinary Office) mission in June 2008 was favourable. Issues raised by the Commission: The Commission's representative informed about the conclusions of an internal evaluation of the food safety standards for imports of horse meat from third countries 11

12 into the Community in relation to residue controls. As a result of this evaluation, a set of measures are proposed to be fulfilled by third countries in order to provide appropriate food safety guarantees. Immediate imposition of Community requirements on third countries would terminate trade in most cases therefore, a three-year transitional period is proposed during which third countries are required to implement a minimum set of measures during a six months control period before the animal is slaughtered. After that three-year transitional period, third countries have to fully satisfy Community food safety requirements either on compliance or equivalence. In this regard, the Commission has prepared a letter which was distributed during the meeting and that will be sent to third countries. Member States were asked to send any comments by to the Commission. The Commission's representative updated on the imports of pig meat from Chile, contaminated with dioxins. Information on this issue was provided during the meeting of this Committee held on 2 and 3 September 2008 (see Miscellaneous, issues raised by the Member States on the minutes of that meeting), following the request of the Italian and the German delegates. The Commission has asked the Member States to carry out more stringent checks on consignments of pig meat from Chile and to redirect their ongoing programme for the control of dioxins in food to the control of the presence of dioxins in pig meat already imported from Chile and eventually other possibly contaminated products of animal origin imported from Chile. Since then, the Chilean authorities have communicated the information requested by the Commission as regards the source of contamination, their monitoring plan and the list of non-infected farms. Having received these, and based on the fact that no further contaminated products were notified by the Member States in connection with such imports, the Commission asked the Member States to no longer apply the reinforced controls as regards dioxins and to apply the random control system. During the meeting, the following documents were distributed by the Commission: a. SANCO/3385/2008: draft Commission Decision as regards the modification of certain programmes for the eradication and monitoring of animal diseases and for checks aimed at the prevention of zoonoses for 2008 and amending Decision 2007/782/EC as regards the reallocation of the Community's financial contribution to certain Member States for such programmes. b. a table which contains the amounts to be reallocated for the programmes approved for the year 2008 in certain Member States and for certain animal diseases. Member States should inform the Commission as soon as possible in case they disagree with the proposed adjustments on the amounts allocated to their programmes. This document links to document SANCO/3385/2008 which will be presented for an opinion on 27 or 28 October in another section of the SCFCAH. c. for information, a translation of the letter sent to the Commission by the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance on a change in the procedure for the import of cattle. 12