Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/968 of 21 March 2024 amending Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 laying down special control measures for African swine fever
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/968of 21 March 2024amending Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 laying down special control measures for African swine fever(Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health ("Animal Health Law")OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1., and in particular Articles 71(3) thereof,Whereas:(1)African swine fever is an infectious viral disease affecting kept and wild porcine animals and can have a severe impact on the concerned animal population and the profitability of farming causing disturbance to movements of consignments of those animals and products thereof within the Union and their exports to third countries.(2)Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 of 16 March 2023 laying down special disease control measures for African swine fever and repealing Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 (OJ L 79, 17.3.2023, p. 65). lays down special disease control measures regarding African swine fever to be applied for a limited period of time by the Member States, which are listed, or which have areas listed in Annexes I and II thereto (the Member States concerned). Annex I to that Implementing Regulation lists restricted zones I, II and III following outbreaks of that disease. The areas listed as restricted zones I, II and III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 are based on the epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Union.(3)Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 was last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/870Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/870 of 13 March 2024 amending Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 laying down special control measures for African swine fever (OJ L, 2024/870, 14.03.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2024/870/oj). following changes in the epidemiological situation as regards that disease in Greece. Since the date of adoption of that Implementing Regulation, the epidemiological situation as regards that disease has evolved in certain Member States.(4)Any amendments to the restricted zones I, II and III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should be based on the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in the areas affected by that disease and the overall epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Member State concerned, the level of risk for the further spread of that disease, as well as scientifically based principles and criteria for geographically defining zoning due to African swine fever as laid out in the African swine fever guidelines developed by the Commission and the Member StatesCommission Notice on the guidelines on the prevention, control and eradication of African swine fever in the Union ('ASF guidelines') (OJ C, C/2023/1504, 18.12.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2023/1504/oj).. Such amendments should also take account of international standards, such as the Terrestrial Animal Health CodeOIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code, 29th Edition, 2021. Volumes I and II ISBN 978-92-95115-40-8; https://www.woah.org/en/what-we-do/standards/codes-and-manuals/terrestrial-code-online-access/. of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and justifications for zoning provided by the competent authorities of the Member States concerned.(5)Since the date of adoption of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/870 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, there have been new outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals in Czechia, Italy, Poland and Slovakia. In addition, the epidemiological situation in certain zones listed as restricted zones III in Latvia and Lithuania, and as restricted zones I and II in Poland in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 has improved as regards kept and wild porcine animals, due to the disease control measures being applied by those Member States in accordance with Union legislation.(6)Following those recent outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals in Czechia, Italy, Poland and Slovakia and taking into account the current epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in the Union, zoning in those Member States has been reassessed and updated in accordance with Articles 5 and 6 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. In addition, the risk management measures in place have been reassessed and updated. These changes should also be reflected in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594.(7)In March 2024, one outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal was observed in the Liberec Region in Czechia, in an area currently listed as a restricted zone I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. This new outbreak of African swine fever in a wild porcine animal constitutes an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, this area of Czechia currently listed as a restricted zone I in that Annex affected by this recent outbreak of African swine fever, should now be listed as a restricted zone II in that Annex instead of as a restricted zone I thereof and the current boundaries of restricted zone I also need to be redefined to take account of this recent outbreak.(8)Additionally, in March 2024, several outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals were observed in Lombardy and Emilia Romagna Regions in Italy, in areas currently listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, located in close proximity to areas currently listed as restricted zones I in that Annex. Those new outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals constitute an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, those areas of Italy currently listed as restricted zones I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, that are in close proximity to the areas listed as restricted zones II affected by those recent outbreaks, should be listed as restricted zones II in that Annex, and the current boundaries of restricted zones I need to be redefined to take account of those outbreaks.(9)Also, in March 2024, several outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals were observed in the Pomorskie and Opolskie Regions in Poland, in an area currently listed as a restricted zone II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, located in close proximity to an area currently listed as a restricted zone I in that Annex. Those new outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals constitute an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, this area of Poland currently listed as a restricted zone I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, that is in close proximity to the area listed as a restricted zone II affected by those recent outbreaks, should be listed as a restricted zone II in that Annex, and the current boundaries of restricted zone I need to be redefined to take account of those outbreaks.(10)In addition, in March 2024, several outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals were observed in the Zachodniopomorskie Region in Poland in an area currently listed as a restricted zone I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594. Those new outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals constitute an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, this area of Poland currently listed as a restricted zone I in that Annex affected by those recent outbreaks of African swine fever, should now be listed as a restricted zone II in that Annex instead of as a restricted zone I thereof and the current boundaries of restricted zone I also need to be redefined to take account of this recent outbreak.(11)Further, in March 2024, several outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals were observed in the Nitriansky, Trenčiansky and Žilinský Regions in Slovakia, in areas currently listed as a restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, located in close proximity to areas currently listed as restricted zones I in that Annex. Those new outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals constitute an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, these areas of Slovakia currently listed as restricted zones I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, that are in close proximity to the areas listed as restricted zones II affected by those recent outbreaks, should be listed as restricted zones II in that Annex, and the current boundaries of restricted zones I need to be redefined to take account of those outbreaks.(12)In addition, on the basis of the information and justification provided by Latvia, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever for kept porcine animals in certain restricted zones III listed in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 being applied in Latvia in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 of 17 December 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and the Council, as regards rules for the prevention and control of certain listed diseases, OJ L 174, 3.6.2020, p. 64., and in particular those laid down in Articles 22, 25 and 40 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Code, certain zones in the Madonas and Krāslavas Counties in Latvia, currently listed as restricted zones III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should now be listed as restricted zones II in that Annex, due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept porcine animals in these restricted zones III for the past three months, while the disease is still present in wild porcine animals. Those restricted zones III should now be listed as restricted zones II in that Annex taking account of the current African swine fever epidemiological situation.(13)Additionally, on the basis of the information and justification provided by Lithuania, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever for kept porcine animals in certain restricted zones III listed in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 being applied in Lithuania in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, and in particular those laid down in Articles 22, 25 and 40 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Code, certain zones in the Kelmė and Šiaulių Districts in Lithuania, currently listed as restricted zones III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should now be listed as restricted zones II in that Annex, due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept porcine animals in these restricted zones III for the past twelve months, while the disease is still present in wild porcine animals. Those restricted zones III should now be listed as restricted zones II in that Annex taking account of the current African swine fever epidemiological situation.(14)Also, on the basis of the information and justification provided by Poland, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever for wild porcine animals in certain restricted zones II listed in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 being applied in Poland in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, and in particular those laid down in Articles 64, 65 and 67 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Code, certain zones in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Mazowieckie and Podkarpackie in Poland, currently listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should now be listed as restricted zones I in that Annex due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept and wild porcine animals in those restricted zones II for the past twelve months and because those restricted zones I are still bordering restricted zones II.(15)In addition, on the basis of the information and justification provided by Poland, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever for wild porcine animals in certain restricted zones II listed in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 being applied in Poland in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, and in particular those laid down in Articles 64, 65 and 67 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Code, certain zones in the Śląskie and Małopolskie Regions in Poland, currently listed as restricted zones II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should now be delisted from that Annex due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept and wild porcine animals in those restricted zones II for the past twelve months.(16)Finally, on the basis of the information and justification provided by Poland, and taking into account the effectiveness of the disease control measures for African swine fever for wild porcine animals in certain restricted zones I, and in the restricted zones that those restricted zones I are bordering, listed in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 being applied in Poland in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, and in particular those laid down in Articles 64, 65 and 67 thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the WOAH Code, certain zones in the Śląskie and Małopolskie Regions in Poland, currently listed as restricted zones I in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 should now be delisted from that Annex due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in kept and wild porcine animals in those restricted zones I, and in the zones that those restricted zones I are bordering, for the past twelve months.(17)In order to take account of the recent developments in the epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Union, and in order to combat the risks associated with the spread of that disease in a proactive manner, new restricted zones of a sufficient size should be demarcated for Czechia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia and listed as restricted zones I and II in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594, and certain parts of restricted zones I and II should be delisted for Poland in Annex I to that Regulation. As the situation as regards African swine fever is very dynamic in the Union, when demarcating those new restricted zones, account has been taken of the epidemiological situation in the surrounding areas.(18)Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the spread of African swine fever, it is important that the amendments to be made to Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 by this Regulation take effect as soon as possible.(19)The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
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