S.L. 437.50 Art. 56Measures applicable in the vaccination zone after the completion of the survey and the classification of holdings until the foot-and-mouth disease and infection free status is recovered (Phase 3).

(1) The competent authority shall ensure that the measures provided for in sub-rules (2) to (6) are applied in the vaccination zone after the completion of the measures laid down in rule 55 and until the foot-and-mouth disease and infection-free status has been recovered in accordance with rule 57.

(2) The competent authority shall ensure that movement of animals of susceptible species between holdings situated in the vaccination zone is subject to authorisation.

(3) Movement of animals of susceptible species out of the vaccination zone shall be prohibited. By way of derogation from this prohibition, direct transport to a slaughterhouse for immediate slaughter of animals of susceptible species may be authorised under the conditions provided for in rule 53(3).

(4) By way of derogation from the prohibition in sub-rule (2), the competent authorities may authorise the transport of unvaccinated animals of susceptible species in accordance with the following provisions:

(a) within twenty-four hours of loading, all animals of susceptible species on the holding have been subjected to clinical examination and have not shown clinical signs of foot-and-mouth disease, and

(b) the animals have completed a standstill on the holding of origin of at least thirty days during which no animal of susceptible species has been introduced onto the holding, and

(c) the holding of origin is not situated in a protection or surveillance zone, and

(d) the animals intended for transport were either individually subjected with negative results to tests for the detection of antibodies against the foot-and-mouth disease virus at the end of the isolation period, or a serological survey was completed on that holding in accordance with point 2.2 of Schedule III irrespective of the species concerned;

(e) the animals were not exposed to any source of infection during their transportation from the holding of origin to the place of destination.

(5) Non-vaccinated offspring of vaccinated dams shall be prohibited from leaving the holding of origin unless being transported to:

(a) a holding within the vaccination zone of the same health status as the holding of origin;

(b) a slaughterhouse for immediate slaughter;

(c) a holding designated by the competent authority, from which the offspring are to be sent directly to the slaughterhouse;

(d) any holding, after having obtained a negative result in a serological test for the detection of antibody against the foot-and-mouth disease virus carried out on a sample of blood taken prior to dispatch from the holding of origin.

(6) Fresh meat produced from unvaccinated animals of susceptible species may be placed on the market inside and outside the vaccination zone under the following conditions:

(a) either the measures provided for in rule 55(3) have been completed in the entire vaccination zone or the animals are transported to the slaughterhouse under the conditions provided for in sub-rule (3) or (4)(d), and;

(b) the establishment shall be operated under strict veterinary control;

(c) only fresh meat produced from animals referred to in paragraph (a) or from animals reared and or slaughtered outside the vaccination zone or fresh meat referred to in sub-rule (8) shall be processed in the establishment;

(d) all such fresh meat shall bear the health mark in accordance with Chapter XI of Annex I to European Union Council Directive 64/433/EEC or in the case of meat from other biungulates, the health mark provided for in Chapter III of Annex I of European Union Council Directive 91/495/EEC, or in the case of minced meat and meat preparations the health mark provided for in Chapter VI of Annex I of European Union Council Directive 94/65/EC;

(e) throughout the production process the fresh meat shall be clearly identified, and transported and stored separately from meat of different animal health status in accordance with these rules.

(7) Fresh meat produced from vaccinated animals of susceptible species or from non-vaccinated seropositive offspring of vaccinated dams slaughtered during the period referred to in sub-rule (1) shall bear the health mark provided for in European Council Directive 2002/99/EC and shall be stored and transported separately from meat not bearing that stamp and subsequently be transported in sealed containers to an establishment designated by the competent authorities for treatment in accordance with point 1 in Part A of Schedule VII.

(8) By way of derogation from sub-rule (7), fresh meat and trimmed offal produced from vaccinated large and small ruminants or their non-vaccinated seropositive offspring may be placed on the market within and outside the vaccination zone under the following conditions:

(a) the establishment shall be operated under strict veterinary control;

(b) only fresh meat excluding offal, which was subjected to the treatment described in point 1, 3 and 4 in Part A of Schedule VIII or fresh meat referred to in sub-rule

(6) or produced from animals reared and, or slaughtered outside the vaccination zone, are processed in the establishment;

(c) all such fresh meat shall bear the health mark in accordance with Chapter XI of Annex I to European Directive 64/433/EEC or in the case of meat from other biungulates the health mark provided for in Chapter III of Annex I to European Directive 91/495/ EEC, or in the case of minced meat and meat preparations the health mark provided for in Chapter VI of Annex I to European Directive 94/65/EC;

(d) throughout the production process the fresh meat shall be clearly identified, and transported and stored separately from meat which is of different animal health status in accordance with these rules.

(9) By way of derogation from sub-rule (7), fresh meat from vaccinated porcine animals and their non-vaccinated seropositive offspring, produced during the period from the beginning of the survey until the measures provided for in rule 55 have been completed in the entire vaccination zone and until at least three months have elapsed after the last outbreak recorded in that zone, may only be placed on the national market of Malta within and outside the vaccination zone under the following conditions:

(a) the establishment shall be operated under strict veterinary control;

(b) only fresh meat from animals originating in holdings complying with the conditions in rule 55(5) or fresh meat obtained from animals reared and slaughtered outside the vaccination zone are processed in the establishment;

(c) all such fresh meat shall bear a health mark to be decided in accordance with Article 4(3) of European Directive 2002/99/EC;

(d) throughout the production process the fresh meat shall be clearly identified, and transported and stored separately from meat of different animal health status in accordance with these rules.

(10) A Member State other than the territory of Malta may request a decision in accordance with European Community legislation to extend the marketing of the meat referred to in sub-rule (9) to its territory or part of its territory under conditions to be laid down under the same procedure.

(11) The rules for dispatch from the vaccination zone of fresh meat from vaccinated porcine animals produced after the period referred to in sub-rule (9) until free status has been regained in accordance with rule 59, shall be decided in accordance with the procedure provided for in rule 78(2).

(12) Compliance with the conditions provided for in sub-rule (6), sub-rule (8) and where applicable under the provisions of sub-rule (10), shall be certified by the competent authority. The competent authority shall supervise the control of compliance undertaken by the Veterinary Services and shall in the case of intra-European Community trade communicate to other Member States and the European Commission a list of those establishments which they have approved for such certification.

(13) By way of derogation from sub-rule (8) a special health mark which cannot be confused with the health mark referred to in sub-rules (8)(c) and (9)(c), may be decided in accordance with the procedure referred to in rule 78(2) for fresh meat of ruminants not subjected to the treatment in accordance with Part A of Schedule VIII, and minced meat and meat preparations produced from such meat, which are intended for placing on the market in a specific region of Malta.

(14) Milk and milk products produced from vaccinated animals may be placed on the market within and outside the vaccination zone, provided that depending on the final use for either human consumption or non-human consumption, it has undergone at least one of the treatments referred to in Parts A and B of Schedule IX. Such treatment shall have been undergone in an establishment located in the vaccination zone or in accordance with the provisions in rules 52(4) to (7).

(15) The collection and transport of samples of raw milk of animals of susceptible species, from holdings situated in the surveillance zone to a laboratory other than a veterinary diagnostic laboratory approved for diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease, and the processing of the milk in such laboratories, shall be subject to official authorisation and to appropriate measures to avoid any possible spread of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

(16) The placing on the market of products of animal origin other than those referred to in sub-rules (6) to (11) and (13) to (15) shall be subject to the conditions provided for in rules 28, 29, 30 and 40.