COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION
of 8 August 2012
amending Decision 2002/253/EC laying down case definitions for reporting communicable diseases to the Community network under Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
(notified under document C(2012) 5538)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2012/506/EU)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 1998 setting up a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the Community (1), and in particular Article 3(c) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
According to Article 2 of Commission Decision 2002/253/EC (2), the case definitions laid down in the Annex to that Decision should be updated to the extent necessary on the basis of the latest scientific data.
(2)
In accordance with Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 851/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 establishing a European Centre for disease prevention and control (3) (ECDC), the ECDC provided, at the request of the Commission, a scientific opinion on case definitions aiding the Commission and the Member States in the development of intervention strategies in the field of surveillance of and response to communicable diseases.
(3)
The case definitions already listed in the Annex to Decision 2002/253/EC for HIV/AIDS, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae (invasive disease), hepatitis B and C, meningococcal disease, mumps, legionellosis, congenital rubella, shiga toxin/verocytotoxin producing Escherichia coli infection (STEC/VTEC), salmonellosis and leptospirosis should be updated on the basis of that scientific opinion provided by ECDC.
(4)
A generic case definition of antimicrobial resistance, a generic definition of nosocomial infections, a number of specific case definitions of nosocomial infections, and a case definition for tick-borne encephalitis should also be added to the Annex to Decision 2002/253/EC on the basis of that scientific opinion provided by ECDC.
(5)
For the purpose of clarity, it is appropriate to restructure the Annex to Decision 2002/253/EC in order to ensure that case definitions for communicable diseases are in a separate list from those for special health issues, and that, within each list, the case definitions appear in numerical order.
(6)
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee set up by Decision No 2119/98/EC,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The Annex to Decision 2002/253/EC is replaced by the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 8 August 2012.