S.L. 437.105 Art. 3Applicability.

(1) The provisions of these rules apply in particular to the following criteria:

(a) to liberalize the movement of equidae in the Community both for the purpose of intra-Community trade between Member States and imports from third countries while introducing Community measures to harmonize rules for controlling the disease and create measures, including the carrying out of a detailed epizootiological enquiry, to combat African horse sickness;

(b) to make it possible to ensure rational development of the farming sector and contribute to the protection of animal health in Malta when it is the Member State of destination;

(c) to eliminate as far as possible an outbreak of such disease which may quickly assume epizootic proportions, causing mortality and disturbance which may severely reduce the profitability of livestock production;

(d) to prevent the spread of African horse sickness where the movement of animals is liable to transmit the infection and which shall be strictly controlled, and insects shall be eradicated from infected holdings;

(e) to specify rules governing conditions under which vaccination against African horse sickness may be carried out and to ensure that such conditions are being complied with;

(f) to ensure more effective control of the disease by taking all necessary actions in order to establish protection and surveillance zones.

(2) The competent authority shall apply all such necessary administrative measures conforming to the requirements of the Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health according to the requirements of these rules, to ensure that there is no breach thereof, and also to reduce the risk for final consumers and any additional risk to animals and to the environment.

(3) These measures shall include the direct confiscation of the product, the suspension of the activities carried out by the authorised provider when these are creating a risk to final consumers and to the environment, and the forfeiture of any authorisation, licence or permit in terms of article 60 of the Act in addition to the application of any other administrative penalty in terms of article 61 of the Act.