The purpose of this Communication is to report on the implementation of Community provisions intended to control Salmonella and the results since adoption of Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 on the control of Salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents and of Directive 2003/99/EC on the monitoring of zoonoses and zoonotic agents. This Communication also covers other Community legislation and activities to ensure/improve control of Salmonella along the food chain.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reported 151 995 human cases of salmonellosis in 2007 in the 27 Member States of the European Union, being an incidence of 31.1 per 100 000 population. It is evident that the number of human cases is seriously underestimated and underreported. Part of the human cases was detected within the frame of 3131 food-borne outbreaks which is 64.5% of the total number of food-borne outbreaks of known origin. The Salmonella outbreaks affected 22 705 victims, of whom 14% were hospitalised and 23 died. Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium were responsible for 95% of outbreaks with known serotype.

The paper discusses the monitoring of salmonella in hunmans and feed, foodstuffs and animals. It also discusses the control of salmonella in feed and in animal populations and foodstuffs.

The current focus of Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 is on controlling Salmonella in primary production of poultry and pigs. The Commission has been successful in setting reduction targets for Salmonella in line with the requirements in the legislation. In the case of pigs there is a significant delay in setting a target, due to the need to collect comparable prevalence data from all 27 Member States and to the requirement to carry out a cost/benefit analysis. A comprehensive cost/benefit analysis is considered necessary before setting a target for reduction in pigs because such reduction is not evident based on current scientific advice and experiences from certain Member States. The Commission notes that a reduction target will be established as soon as the cost/benefit analysis has been completed. Notwithstanding the delay in fixing a target for reduction, the legal framework currently in force, in particular the hygiene Regulations (Regulations (EC) No 852/2004 and 852/2004) and the Regulation on microbiological criteria in foodstuffs (Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005), already provides for a high level of food safety.

The Commission did not limit itself to the adoption of implementing provisions of the Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003, but took the initiative for additional actions needed to increase the chance of success of its approach, for example:

by providing training to the competent authorities in the Member States and third countries; by convincing European stakeholders organisations actively to participate; by providing financial support to the Member States.

Control of Salmonella has also been integrated into a broad approach to control pathogens all along the food chain, in line with the Commission’s “farm to fork” approach and taking into account possible negative side-effects such as the increase of antimicrobial resistance.

The Commission has stepped up monitoring of Salmonella in order to check the results of its own efforts and of the efforts by Member States by collecting reference values in baseline studies, by networking laboratories and by harmonising the sampling protocol. The Commission’s table in this report shows that the number of reported salmonellosis cases in the EU25 from 2004 until 2007 has fallen.

Since Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 on zoonoses control was adopted, the awareness and motivation of competent authorities and stakeholders to tackle Salmonella has increased significantly, often resulting in action before the Community provisions became mandatory. Furthermore, a significant reduction can be expected from 2009 (restrictions on table eggs) and from 2011 (food safety criterion on poultry meat).

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ACT: Commission Regulation 1177/2006/EC implementing Regulation 2160/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards requirements for the use of specific control methods in the framework of the national programmes for the control of salmonella in poultry.

CONTENT: following a request from the Commission, the EFSA issued an opinion in which it stated that the use of antimicrobials for the control of salmonella in poultry should be discouraged due to public health risks associated with development, selection and the spread of resistance. As a result of the EFSA opinion, this Regulation lays down certain rules for the use of antimicrobials and vaccines within the framework of the national control programmes.

The Regulation states that the use of antimicrobials shall not be used as a specific method to control salmonella in poultry. A number of derogations are listed – for example, poultry presenting salmonella infection with clinical signs of the disease or the salvaging of valuable genetic material in breeding flocks in order to establish new salmonella-free flocks.

The Regulation also states:

- Live salmonella vaccines should not be used where there is no provision for an appropriate method to distinguish bacteriologically wild-type strains of salmonella from vaccine strains.

- Live salmonella vaccines should not be used in laying hens during production.

- Vaccination against Salmonella enteritidis should be applied during rearing (at the least) to all laying hens at the latest from 1 January 2008.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 22/08/2006.

32006R1177
OJ L 212 02.08.2006, p. 0003-0005

ACT: Commission Regulation 1168/2006/EC implementing Regulation 2160/2003/EC as regards a Community target for the reduction of the prevalence of certain salmonella serotypes in laying hens of Gallus gallus and amending Regulation 1003/2005/EC.

CONTENT: to recall, Regulation 2160/2003/EC establishes Community targets for the reduction of salmonella serotypes in laying hens of Gallus gallus . The Regulation also sets Community targets that include a numerical expression of the maximum percentage of epidemiological units remaining positive and/or the minimum percentage of reduction in the number of epidemiological units remaining positive, the maximum time limit within which the target must be achieved and the definition of the testing schemes necessary to verify achievement of the target.

In 2005, the Community adopted Regulation 1003/2005/EC concerning the setting of Community targets for the reduction of certain salmonella serotypes in breeding flocks of Gallus gallus . However, since the adoption of the Regulation alternative analysis methods have been developed and validated. Further, salmonella strains detected in breeding flocks need to be stored for future phagetyping and anti-microbial susceptibility testing.

The purpose of this Regulation, therefore, is to amend Regulation 1003/2005/EC in accordance with the opinion of the “Standing Committee on Food and Animal Health.” Accordingly, the Community target for the reduction of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium in adult laying hens of Gallus gallus is as follows:

- An annual minimum percentage of reduction of positive flocks of adult laying hens equal to at least:

(i) 10 % if the prevalence in the preceding year was less than 10 %;

(ii) 20 % if the prevalence in the preceding year was between 10 and 19 %;

(iii) 30 % if the prevalence in the preceding year was between 20 and 39 %;

(iv) 40 % if the prevalence in the preceding year was 40 % or more;

or;

- A reduction of the maximum percentage to 2 % or less. However, for Member States with less than 50 flocks of adult laying hens, not more than one adult flock may remain positive.

The first target needs to be achieved by 2008 based on monitoring begun at the beginning of that year. Achievements will be based on the result of evaluations taken in three consecutive years.

ENTRY INTO FORCE : 04/08/2006. The Regulation shall apply from 01/08/2006.

32006R1168
OJ L 211 01.08.2006, p. 0004-0008

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Commission Regulation 1091/2005/EC implementing Regulation 2160/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards requirements for the use of specific control methods in the framework of the national programmes for the control of salmonella.

CONTENT: Under Regulation 2160/2003/EC, it may be decided that specific control methods are not to be used as part of national control programmes established by Member States to achieve the Community targets set up in accordance with that Regulation. Also, under Regulation 2160/2003/EC it may be decided that specific control methods may or shall be applied for the reduction of prevalence of zoonoses and zoonotic agents at the stage of the primary production of animals and other stages in the food chain, and rules may be adopted concerning the conditions for the use of such methods.

The Commission consulted EFSA on the use of antimicrobials and on the use of vaccines for the control of salmonella in poultry. Following that request, EFSA issued two separate opinions on those issues on 21 October 2004. In its opinion on the use of antimicrobials for the control of salmonella in poultry, EFSA recommended that the use of antimicrobials should be discouraged due to public health risks associated with development, selection and spread of resistance. The use of antimicrobials should be subject to formally defined conditions that would ensure protection of public health, and must be fully justified in advance and recorded by the competent authority.

As regards breeding flocks, while the opinion acknowledged the potential risk of dissemination of residual Salmonella spp., including dissemination of any selected resistant strains through the production pyramid, it recognised that valuable genetic material may be salvaged from infected breeding flocks through the use of antimicrobials. The opinion concluded also that most generally and for all types of poultry, on the rare occasions when Salmonella spp. causes clinical infections, antimicrobials may be useful in reducing morbidity and mortality.

This Commission Regulation thus lays down that antimicrobials shall not be used as a specific method to control salmonella in breeding flocks of Gallus gallus in the framework of national control programmes adopted pursuant to Article 6 of Regulation 2160/2003/EC, except in the following exceptional circumstances:

- animals presenting salmonella infection with clinical signs in a way likely to cause undue suffering to the animals; the infected breeding flocks treated with antimicrobials shall still be considered infected with salmonella, and appropriate measures shall be taken to reduce as much as possible the risk of spreading salmonella through the rest of the breeding pyramid;

- salvaging of valuable genetic material, including ‘elite flocks’, flocks from endangered breeds, and flocks kept for research purposes, in order to establish new salmonella-free flocks; chicks born from hatching eggs collected from treated animals shall be subject to fortnightly sampling during the rearing phase, with a scheme aiming to detect 1 % prevalence of relevant salmonella with a 95 % confidence limit;

- authorisation given by the competent authority on a case by case basis for purposes other than salmonella control in a flock suspect of salmonella infection, in particular following detection of salmonella at the hatchery or at the holding; however, Member States may decide to allow treatment without prior authorisation in emergency situations, subject to reporting the treatment immediately to the competent authority.

The use of antimicrobials shall be subject to authorization and supervision of the competent authority and shall be based wherever possible on the results of bacteriological sampling and of susceptibility testing.

Live salmonella vaccines for which the manufacturer does not provide an appropriate method to distinguish bacteriologically wild-type strains of salmonella from vaccine strains shall not be used in the framework of national control programmes adopted pursuant to Article 6 of Regulation 2160/2003/EC.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 02/08/2005.

DATE OF APPLICATION: 01/01/2007.

32005R1091
OJ L 182 13.07.2005, p. 0003-0004

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Commission Regulation 1003/2005/EC implementing Regulation 2160/2003/EC as regards a Community target for the reduction of the prevalence of certain salmonella serotypes in breeding flocks of Gallus gallus and amending Regulation 2160/2003/EC.

CONTENT: The purpose of Regulation 2160/2003/EC is to ensure that proper and effective measures are taken to detect and control salmonella and other zoonotic agents at all relevant stages of production, processing and distribution, particularly at the level of primary production, in order to reduce their prevalence and the risk they pose to public health.

Under that Regulation a Community target is to be established for the reduction of the prevalence of all salmonella serotypes with public health significance in breeding flocks of Gallus gallus at the level of primary production.

The Community target for the reduction of Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella hadar, Salmonella infantis, Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella virchow in breeding flocks of Gallus gallus shall be a reduction of the maximum percentage of adult breeding flocks comprising at least 250 birds remaining positive to 1 % or less by 31 December 2009.

However, for Member States with fewer than 100 breeding flocks, not more than one adult breeding flock shall remain positive.

The testing scheme to verify the achievement of the Community target is set out in the Annex to the Regulation.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 01/07/2005.

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OJ L 170 01.07.2005, p. 0012-0017

Regulation 2003/2160
OJ L 325 12.12.2003, p. 0001-0015

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T5-0284/2003

A5-0195/2003

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14857/1/2002
OJ C 090 15.04.2003, p. 0025-0043 E

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05771/2003

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OJ C 180 31.07.2003, p. 0160-0343 E

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OJ C 094 18.04.2002, p. 0018

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