
Article 1 
This Decision lays down rules for a survey to detect the presence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in animals of the deer family, namely cervids (the survey).
Article 2 
For the purposes of this Decision the definitions set out in Annex I shall apply.
Article 3 

1. Member States shall carry out a survey to detect the presence of CWD in cervids in accordance with the minimum requirements in Annex II.
2. Member States shall complete their survey no later than the end of the 2007 hunting season.
Article 4 
Member States shall carry out the measures set out in Annex III following testing for CWD.
Article 5 
Member States shall submit to the Commission the following reports:

((a)) a report immediately following the discovery of a positive or inconclusive finding for transmissible spongiform encephalopathy in a cervid;
((b)) an annual report of the results of surveys as set out in Annex IV.
Article 6 
The Commission shall present to the Member States a summary of the reports provided for in Article 5.
Article 7 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 19 March 2007.
For the Commission
Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission
ANNEX 1

For the purposes of this Decision, the following definitions shall apply:

((a)) ‘target species’ means wild and farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus) and/or wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus);
((b)) ‘target Member States’ means those Member States with sufficient target species populations to allow statistically required sample sizes to be achieved; they differ depending on target species and whether wild or farmed target species and are listed in Tables 1 and 2 in Annex II;
((c)) ‘clinical/sick cervids’ means cervids showing abnormal behavioural signs and/or locomotor disturbances and/or generally in poor condition;
((d)) ‘road-injured or killed cervids’ means cervids hit by road vehicles for which the ante-mortem condition cannot be ascertained;
((e)) ‘fallen/culled cervids’ means cervids found dead on-farm or in the wild and farmed cervids culled for health/age reasons;
((f)) ‘healthy slaughtered cervids’ means healthy farmed cervids slaughtered in the slaughterhouse or on farm;
((g)) ‘healthy shot cervids’ means healthy wild cervids shot during the hunting season;
((h)) ‘target groups’ means the cervids defined at points (c) to (g).

ANNEX II
1.  (a) 
Those samples may be taken from all target groups in the target Member States.
 (b) 

((i)) all cervids must be over 18 months of age; the age shall be estimated on the basis of dentition, obvious signs of maturity, or any other reliable information;
((ii)) in the case of healthy shot cervids, samples must be taken in particular from male cervids;
((iii)) in the case of healthy slaughtered cervids, samples must be taken in particular from older male and female cervids.
 (c) 

((i)) densely populated deer areas;
((ii)) high scrapie incidence;
((iii)) high BSE incidence;
((iv)) cervids which have consumed potentially TSE-contaminated feeding stuffs;
((v)) cervids on farms or in regions where imports from regions affected by CWD of cervids or their products have been recorded in the past.
 (d) The competent authority of the target Member States shall use random sampling to select target species for sampling.

2. 
All Member States shall take samples for CWD from clinical/sick cervids and fallen/culled cervids, as a priority, as well as from road-injured or killed cervids of all cervid species. The competent authority of the Member States shall endeavour to maximise awareness of these cervids and to ensure that as many such cervids are tested for CWD as possible.


 Target species population Sample size
Czech Republic 25 000 598
Germany 150 000 598
Spain 220 000 to 290 000 598
France 100 000 598
Italy 44 000 598
Latvia 28 000 598
Hungary 74 000 598
Austria 150 000 598
Poland 600 000 598
Slovakia 38 260 598
Finland 30 000 598
United Kingdom 382 500 598


 Target species population Sample size
Czech Republic ≥ 9 000 576
Germany 11 500 598
France 17 000 598
Ireland 10 000 581
Austria 10 000 581
United Kingdom 28 000 598

3. 
A sample of obex shall be collected and tested for each cervid in the samples referred to in points 1 and 2 of this Annex. At least a portion of each sample shall be kept fresh or frozen until a negative result is obtained, in case bioassay is required.

The competent authority of the Member States must refer to point 3 of Chapter C of Annex X to Regulation EC (No) 999/2001 for guidance on methods and protocols.

Rapid tests as referred to in point 4 of Chapter C of Annex X to Regulation EC (No) 999/2001 used for transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) detection in obex of bovine or small ruminant animals shall be considered suitable for use in the sampling referred to in points 1 and 2 of this Annex. Member States may also use immunohistochemistry for screening purposes for which purpose they shall satisfy a proficiency test by the Community Reference Laboratory. Where a Member State is unable to confirm a positive rapid test result, they shall send adequate tissue to the CRL for confirmation. In the case of positive findings of TSE, the protocol as provided for in point 3.2, (c)(i) and (ii), Chapter C of Annex X to Regulation EC (No) 999/2001 shall apply.

4. 
The prion protein genotype shall be determined for each positive finding of TSE in cervids in accordance with the guidelines of the Community Reference Laboratory for TSEs.

ANNEX III

1. Where a cervid intended to be placed on the market for human consumption has been selected for testing for CWD, the Member States shall ensure the traceability of that carcase and ensure that it is not released for commercial sale until a negative result to the rapid test has been obtained.

2. Insofar as possible, and whenever point 1 applies, the hunter, gamekeeper or farmer, where known, shall be informed when samples are submitted for testing for CWD and the results of a positive rapid test communicated as soon as possible by authorised means.

3. The Member States shall reserve the right to retain material for further diagnostic or research purposes until a negative result to the rapid test for CWD has been obtained.

4. Insofar as possible, except for the material to be retained for further diagnostic or research purposes, all parts of the body of a cervid found positive to the rapid test, including the hide, shall be directly disposed of in accordance with Articles 4(2)(a), (b) or (e) of Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002.

ANNEX IV
1. 
Information to be presented by Member States in their annual report on the survey results for CWD


((a)) The number of cervid samples submitted for testing, by target group according to the following criteria:

— species,
— farmed or wild cervids,
— target group,
— sex,
— age.
((b)) The results of the rapid and confirmatory tests (number of positives and negatives) and, where applicable, of the discriminatory testing, the tissue sampled and the rapid test and confirmatory technique used.
((c)) The geographical location, including the country of origin if not the same as the reporting Member State, of positive cases of TSE.
((d)) The genotype and species of each cervid found positive for TSE.

2. 
The results of the sampling for CWD for the previous year shall be reported in an annual report.

This report shall be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than six months after the end of each year of the survey.

The 2007 report shall include the results of the 2007 hunting season, even when some samples will have been taken in 2008.
