No L 62/38 Official Journal of the European Communities 15. 3. 93 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 92/117/EEC of 17 December 1992 concerning measures for protection against specified zoonoses and specified zoonotic agents in animals and products of animal origin in order to prevent outbreaks of food-borne infections and intoxications THE COUNCIL OF fHE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (!), " Having regérd to the opinion of the European Parliament (2), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas live animals and products of animal origin appear on the list in Annex II to the Treaty; whereas livestock farming and the placing on the market of products of animal origin constitute an important source of income for the farming population; Whereas the rational development of this sector and an improvement in its productivity may be achieved by the implementation of veterinary measures aimed at protecting and raising the level of public and animal health in the Community; Whereas it is necessary to prevent and reduce, by appropriate measures, the appearance of zoonoses which pose a threat to human health in particular, through food of animal origin; ) Whereas the Community has already undertaken action for the eradication of certain zoonotic diseases and in particular bovine tuberculosis, bovine brucellosis, brucellosis in sheep and goats, and rabies; whereas it is advisable to collect epidemiological information on those diseases; : Whereas those measures should apply without prejudice to Council Directive 89/397/EEC of 14 June 1989 on the official control of foodstuffs (*); Whereas, in order to assess the priorities for preventive action, it is necessary to collect information in the Member States on the incidence of zoonotic diseases in the human population, in domestic animals, in animal feedingstuffs and wildlife; Whereas the Commission should follow the development of the epidemiological situation so as to propose the appropriate measures; Whereas the situation with respect to salmonellosis justifies the adoption of immediate control measures for certain types of farming at risk; Whereas the harmonization of the essential requirements concerning the protection of public health presupposes prior designation of Community liaison and reference laboratories and the implementation of technical and . scientific actions; Whereas detailed rules governing the Community’s financial contribution towards certain actions laid down in this Directive have been laid down by Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (*); Whereas it is appropriate to make provision for a procedure establishing close effective cooperation between the Member States and the Commission for the adoptlon of implementing measures, HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: Article 1 This Directive lays down rules for the' collection of " information on zoonoses and zoonotic agents and the relevant measures to be taken in the Member States and at Community level. Article 2 For the purposes of this Directive: 1. zoonosis means any disease and/or infection which is likely to be naturally transmitted from animals to man; 2. zoonotic agent means any bacterium, virus or parasite which is likely to cause a zoonosis; 3. approved national laboratory means a laboratory approved or recognized by the competent authority of a Member State to carry out examinations of official samples in order to detect a zoonotic agent; (°y OJ No L 224, 18. 8. 1990, p. 19. Decision as amended by Decision 91/133/EEC (OJ No L 66, 13. 3. 1991, p. 18).