1.3.2007 Official Journal of the European Union L 62/27 COMMISSION DECISION of 28 February 2007 establishing a Community Veterinary Emergency Team to assist the Commission in supporting Member States and third countries in veterinary matters relating to certain animal diseases (2007/142[EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Whereas: (1)  In the event of outbreaks of certain animal diseases or suspicion thereof, the Commission is required to provide assistance to the Member States and to third countries by means of highly experienced veterinary epidemiology expertise. Veterinary expertise availability has also been raised in the context of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. (2)  The prompt availability of sound technical expertise in the veterinary field is necessary for the Commission to be able to fulfil its tasks, notably in the event of major outbreaks of those animal diseases. (3)  Expertise and support are more efficiently provided by a specialised team of experts, such as a Community Emergency Veterinary Team, whose Members make themselves available to the Commission on request. Such a team should be established and their role and tasks be defined. 4) For the Community Emergency Veterinary Team to be able to provide the Commission with the veterinary technical assistance required, its members may be sent to the Member States or third countries concerned. In that case the members should operate in cooperation with the competent authorities of the Member State or third country concerned. (5)  The Community Emergency Veterinary Team should work, as appropriate, in close cooperation with other international expert groups, such as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in order to ensure that the available expertise are used in the most effective way, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 1. A Community Veterinary Emergency Team composed of experts is created (the team) for veterinary technical assistance on control measures relating to the diseases subject to notifi- cation listed in Annex I to Council Directive 82/894/EEC (1) (the diseases). 2. Members of the team shall be designated from among experts in the field of veterinary epidemiology, virology, wildlife, management of eradication programmes, laboratory diagnostics, organisation of veterinary services and regulatory framework, risk communication, management and any other relevant field for animal disease control. Article 2 1.  The team shall assist the Commission in technical veterinary matters relating to the animal disease control measures to be taken in the event of outbreaks of the diseases or suspicion thereof. Such assistance shall include in particular: (a) scientific, technical and managerial on-the-spot assistance as regards the surveillance, monitoring, control and eradication of the diseases, in close cooperation and collaboration with the competent authorities of the Member State or third country concerned by outbreaks of disease or suspicion thereof; (b) specific scientific advice on the suitable diagnostic methods and epidemiological investigations in coordination with the concerned Community Reference Laboratory as listed in Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) and with other reference laboratories, as appropriate; () O] L 378, 31.12.1982, p. 58. () OJ L 165, 30.4.2004, p. 1 as corrected by O] L 191, 28.5.2004, p- 1.