Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 90/539/EEC of 15 October 1990 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in and imports from third countries of poultry and hatching eggs^f1, as last amended by Council Directive 92/65/EEC^f2, and in particular Annex III thereof,

Whereas Annex III of Directive 90/539/EEC states that the Commission may determine the criteria for using vaccines against Newcastle disease in the context of routine vaccination programmes;

Whereas the said criteria shall ensure that live attenuated and inactivated vaccines used in routine vaccination programmes fulfil certain requirements relating in the intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) in respect of the Newcastle disease virus strain used in the said vaccines;

Whereas it seems desirable that the level of intracerebral pathogenicity index virus strains to be used in vaccine production should be clearly defined;

Whereas the Scientific Veterinary Committee and the Standing Veterinary Committee have been consulted,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: