Control measures of animal diseases Screening meeting 28 - 31 March 2011

1. Control measures of animal diseasesScreening meeting 28 - 31 March 2011

2. Control measures of animal diseases • Sub chapters I + II + III + IV + V + VI and VIII • The Act IS no 25/1993 on animal diseases and preventive measures against them, covers all the major animal diseases. • Foot and Mouth disease, Classical Swine Fever, African Swine Fever, African Horse Sickness, Avian Influenza, Newcastle Disease, Bluetongue and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopahies are all notifiable and list A diseases. • These diseases have never been found in Iceland.

3. Control measures of animal diseases • According to Regulation IS no. 665/2001 on the Contingency plans for infectious animal diseases, there is a ban against vaccinations for list A diseases and they shall be eradicated with stamping out methods. • Maedi/Visna was brought to Iceland with imported sheep in 1933 and eradicated with stamping out methods by 1965. • Sheep scabies came with imported sheep in 18th and 19th centuries and eradicated with dipping and drugs by 2004.

4. Control measures of animal diseases • Sub chapter IX - Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies • Only one EU terrestrial animal disease legislation is applicable to Iceland in EEA Agreement • Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 for the prevention, control and eradication of certain Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies will be implemented by 1 November 2011 due to JCD 133/2007 with derogations;

5. Control measures of animal diseases • Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 – derogations: • Iceland may continue to feed fishmeal to ruminants • Certain provisions concerning the eradication of TSE in ovine and caprine animals do not apply • Provisions concerning intra Community trade and export and import of live animals do not apply • Continuation of meat and bone meal import ban

6. Control measures of animal diseases • Sub chapter VII - Fish and Mulluscs diseases: • Council Directive 2006/88/EC of 24 October 2006 on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and products thereof, and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in aquatic animals • Fully implemented • Freedom from all fish and mulluscs viral diseases

7. Control measures of animal diseases • Fish and Mulluscs diseases, cont´d.: • Iceland has approved zones for the whole continental and coastal areas for the fish diseases: • Infectious heamatopoetic necrosis IHN • Viral heamorrhagic septicaemia VHS

8. Control measures of animal diseases Sub chapter X. Zoonoses: • Zoonoses such as Salmonella and other food borne agents are list B diseases and should be recorded. • There are Icelandic regulations for the control af Salmonella in pigs and Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry • Good results especially with Campylobacter in broilers.

9. Control measures of animal diseases • Zoonoses, cont´d: • Decision No 2119/98/EC setting up a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the Community and Directive 2003/99/EC on the monitoring of zoonoses and zoonotic agents, will be implemented before 01.11.2011 according to Joint Committee Decision no. 133/2007

10. Control measures of animal diseases • Sub chapter XI Other Diseases • Other diseases under the scope of Council Directive 92/119/EEC. • This Directive is not applicable to Iceland • In Annex 1 to this Directive there is a list of compulsory notifiable diseases. These diseases are all covered by the Act IS no 25/1993 on animal diseases, either as list A or B diseases or they would fall under the heading of exotic diseases and be dealt with under the Contingency plans according to their seriousness.

11. Control measures of animal diseases • Sub chapter XII Notification of diseases: • Council Directive 82/894/EEC of 21 December 1982 on the notification of animal diseases within the Community • The Act IS no 25/1993 on animal diseases and preventive measures against them covers all the major animal diseases, including those covered by Council Directive 82/894/EEC . • They are all notifiable and list A diseases.

12. Control measures of animal diseases • In general: • The Act IS no 25/1993 on animal diseases and preventive measures against them, covers all the major animal diseases. • According to Regulation IS no. 665/2001 on the Contingency plans for infectious animal diseases, there is a ban against vaccinations for list A diseases and they shall be eradicated with stamping out methods.

13. Control measures of animal diseases • In general, cont´d: • The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) is the Competent Authority for animal diseases and has a generic plan for each species which is extended to specific disease situations.   • There is a defined chain of command in the event of an outbreak of a serious contagious animal disease. MAST serves as the main disease control centre and its district offices serve as the local disease control centres. Assistance is to be provided by the Veterinary Institute - Keldur laboratory.

14. Control measures of animal diseases • Enforcement: • Inspections are typically carried out by DVOs or OVs according to: • Act IS no 25/1993 on animal diseases • Act IS no 66/1998 on Veterinarians and Animal Health Services, • Act IS no 96/1997 on Raising and Health of Slaughter Animals, • Act IS no 103/2002 on Livestock Management

15. Control measures of animal diseases • Enforcement, cont´d: • The legal basis for imposing or proposing sanctions in cases of infringement regarding animal diseases and animal health services is in Act IS no 25/1993 on Animal Diseases and Preventive Measures against them, Act IS no 103/2002 on Livestock Management and relevant secondary legislation.

16. Control measures of animal diseases • Enforcement,cont´d: • In serious cases of animal diseases, veterinarians have extensive authority according to Act No 25/1993 on Animal Diseases and Preventive Measures against them, to stop distribution of products, isolate animals, order culling of animals or other necessary measures to prevent spreading of diseases.

17. Control measures of animal diseases • A memorandum of understanding on animal health emergencies has been signed by the competent authorities in the Nordic and Baltic countries. • The aim is to provide support and assistance to the respective countries when the resources of a country affected by an animal disease outbreak, are not sufficient to meet the needs of the outbreak emergency. • Simulation and other training exercises have been performed.

18. Control measures of animal diseases • In cases of: • food borne diseases, • infectious animal diseases of zoonotic nature, • emergencies and crisis, then MAST cooperates with the Chief Epidemiologist (CE), who is responsible to the Ministry of Health. In such cases the Joint Committee on Health Security and Communicable Disease Control reviews the situation and decides whether a given situation should be considered an emergency or a crisis.

19. Control measures of animal diseases • The animal health status in Iceland can be considered as excellent compared to most other countries, as can be seen from OIE web site • This is due to several factors such as: • Geographical situation of the country, • Long standing isolation of the animals, • Strict stamping out policy • Strict import controls of live animals because history has revealed that native animals are extremely sensitive to animal diseases that are not causing great problems in other countries.

20. Thank you!