Article 2 Approval of the vaccination programme

The plan for preventive vaccination against highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, as submitted by the Netherlands to the Commission on 21 February 2006 , and the amendments to that plan, including the continuation of that plan until 31 July 2007 , as submitted by the Netherlands to the Commission on 29 June 2006 , are approved (the preventive vaccination plan).

In accordance with the preventive vaccination plan, the preventive vaccination against avian influenza shall be carried out with an inactivated heterologous vaccine of avian influenza subtype H5 or with a bivalent inactivated heterologous vaccine containing both avian influenza subtypes H5 and H7 authorised by the Netherlands in backyard poultry, organic and free range layers in the Netherlands.

Intensive monitoring and surveillance, as set out in the ‘the preventive vaccination plan’ shall be carried out in the backyard poultry and flocks of organic or free range layers where preventive vaccination is carried out.

The preventive vaccination plan shall be implemented efficiently.

The Commission shall publish the preventive vaccination plan.