24. 4. 98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 122/59 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 23 April 1998 on epidemio-surveillance for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and amending Decision 94/474/EC (Text with EEA relevance) (98/272/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11 December 1989 concerning veterinary checks in intra- Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal market ('), as last amended by Directive 92/118/EEC (3, and in particular Article 9(4) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market (), as last amended by Directive 92/118/EEC, and in particular Article 10(4) thereof, (1)  Whereas new information has been published in the United Kingdom further supporting the hypo- thesis that exposure to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agent is linked to the new variant of Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease (CJD) in humans; whereas on 16 September 1997 the Spon- giform  Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) of the United Kingdom concluded that recent research provided compelling new evidence () OJ L 395, 30. 12. 1989, p. 13. () OJ L 62, 15. 3. 1993, p. 49. () OJ L 224, 18. 8. 1990, p. 29. (2) Whereas, that the agent which causes BSE is identical to the agent which causes the new variant of CJD in humans; whereas on 18 September 1997 the Advi- sory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) concluded that the BSE agent should now be classi- fied as a human pathogen under Directive 90/425/EEC, the Member State of origin or dispatch is required to implement on its territory the appropriate measures to prevent all situations likely to constitute a serious hazard to animals or to human health; pursuant to  Council  Directive 82/894/EEC (%), as last amended by Commission Decision 98/12/EC (°), Member States have since 1990 been obliged to notify all cases of BSE to the Commission and to the other Member States; (3) Whereas pursuant to Council Directive 91/68/ EEC (°), as last amended by Commission Decision 94/953/EC (), since 1993 scrapie must be an offici- ally notifiable disease in all Member States; (40 Whereas the Scientific Veterinary Committee has stated on the basis of its risk assessment that several Member States including the United Kingdom 78, 31. 12. 1982, p. 58. , 8. 1. 1998, p. 63. 6, 19. 2. 1991, p. 19. 71, 31. 12. 1994, p. 14. WA AW