The formulation laying down that there must be no signs of disease communicable 'through that blood' to humans or animals suggests that the blood will be analysed.

(c) blood of animals which did not show any signs of disease communicable through blood to humans or animals obtained from:

Communicable diseases includes diseases preventable by vaccination, sexually-transmitted diseases, viral hepatitis, food-borne diseases, water-borne diseases and diseases of environmental origin, nosocomial infections, other diseases transmissible by non-conventional agents (including Creutzfeldt-Jakob's disease), diseases covered by the international health regulations (yellow fever, cholera and plague) and other diseases (rabies, typhus, viral haemorrhagic fevers, malaria and any other as yet unclassified serious epidemic disease, etc.)

Evidence shows that the prevalence of viruses and diseases which may be transmitted through blood is higher in those donors who are remunerated than those who donate without receiving payment.

Other activities in the context of the public health framework included the Council Recommendation 98/463/EC 29 June 1998 on the suitability of blood and plasma donors and the screening of donated blood in the European Community of 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( ), and Recommendation 1999/519/EC on 12 July 1999 on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields 0 Hz to 300 GHz.

At the same time, actions will underpin the development and implementation of policy in other key areas of the public health framework, such as securing the safety and quality of blood, organs and substances of human origin and strengthening the surveillance and control of communicable diseases.