L 120/40 Official Journal of the European Communities 8.5.1999 COUNCIL DECISION of 29 April 1999 on reference laboratories for monitoring bacteriological and viral contamination of bivalve molluscs (1999/313/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinions of the European Parlia- ment (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), (1)  Whereas the Annex to Council Directive 91/ 492/EEC of 15 July 1991 laying down the health conditions for the production and the placing on the market of live bivalve molluscs (*) lays down in particular requirements on bacteriological and viral contamination of live bivalve molluscs; (2) Whereas Chapter V(8) of the Annex to that Directive states that, in the absence of routine virus testing procedures and the establishment of viro- logical standards, health checks must be based on faecal bacteria counts; (3)  Whereas scientific progress has shown faecal bacteria to be an unreliable indicator of the pres- ence of viruses in live bivalve molluscs; whereas to protect public health it is therefore necessary to base the health check on other indicators; (40  Whereas the development of new analytical tech- niques for viruses and reliable indicators of bivalve mollusc contamination requires coordination of the activities of the network of national laboratories; (5  Whereas, to ensure an effective monitoring system with regard to virus testing and the establishment of standards for virological and bacteriological contamination, and to introduce routine procedures and reliable methods for detecting viruses and bacteria, each Member State should designate a 1 () OJ C 267, 39.1997, p. 15. (3 OJ C 304, 6.10.1997, p. 79 and opinion of 13 April 1999 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () OJ C 355, 21.11.1997, p. 63. () OJ L 268, 249.1991, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Directive 97/79/EC (O] L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 31). national reference laboratory responsible for coordinating the requisite tests in that State; (6) Whereas, to ensure a standardised system throughout the Community, the Community refer- ence laboratory responsible for coordinating the checks on viral and bacteriological contamination of bivalve molluscs carried out by each national laboratory should be designated; whereas the oper- ating terms and functions of the Community refer- ence laboratory should be laid down; whereas those responsible for the laboratory must undertake to carry out the tasks laid down in this Decision under the terms provided for herein; (7)  Whereas this Community reference laboratory can be granted Community financial assistance under the terms of Article 28 of Council Decision 90/ 424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (), HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 Each Member State shall designate a national reference laboratory for monitoring viral and bacteriological contaminations of bivalve molluscs. It shall inform the Commission, which shall publish the list of the national reference laboratories and any updates to it in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Article 2 1. Each national reference laboratory shall be respon- sible for: (a) coordinating the activities of the national laboratories responsible for viral and bacteriological analyses of bivalve molluscs in the relevant Member State; () OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. Decision as last amended by Decision 94/370/EC (OJ L 168, 2.7.1994, p. 31).