He remin
ded the delegations that the campaign at EU level had led to the eradication of rabies in EU 15 and that similar actions were being conducted in the 10 new Member States. He also stressed that as the new EC Regulation No 998/
2003 concerning the transport of pets in the EU entered into force on 1 October 2004, controls were no more stringent. He finally noted that it was up to the Member States to check that owners of animals complied with the legislation in force and that, with regard to the EU policy towards neighbouring thir
...[+++]d countries, the EU Reference Laboratory (AFSSA Nancy) had already established contacts with Morocco in order to tackle the problem.
Enfin, il a relevé qu'il revenait aux États membres de vérifier que les propriétaires d'animaux respectent la législation en vigueur et que, en ce qui concerne la politique de l'UE envers les pays tiers voisins, le laboratoire de référence de l'UE (Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des aliments, AFSSA, Nancy) avait déjà pris contact avec le Maroc pour résoudre ce problème.