COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2021/846

of 25 May 2021

amending the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641 concerning emergency measures in relation to outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in certain Member States

(notified under document C(2021) 3844)

(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’) (1), and in particular Article 259(1), point (c) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is an infectious viral disease in birds and may have a severe impact on the profitability of poultry farming causing disturbance to trade within the Union and exports to third countries. HPAI viruses can infect migratory birds, which can then spread these viruses over long distances during their autumn and spring migrations. Therefore, the presence of HPAI viruses in wild birds poses a continuous threat for the direct and indirect introduction of these viruses into holdings where poultry or captive birds are kept. In the event of an outbreak of HPAI, there is a risk that the disease agent may spread to other holdings where poultry or captive birds are kept.

(2) Regulation (EU) 2016/429 establishes a new legislative framework for the prevention and control of diseases that are transmissible to animals or humans. HPAI falls within the definition of a listed disease in that Regulation, and it is subject to the disease prevention and control rules laid down therein. In addition, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 (2) supplements Regulation (EU) 2016/429 as regards the rules for the prevention and control of certain listed diseases, including disease control measures for HPAI.

(3) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641 (3) was adopted within the framework of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and it lays down disease control measures in relation to outbreaks of HPAI.

(4) More particularly, Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641 provides that the protection and surveillance zones established by the Member States following outbreaks of HPAI, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, are to comprise at least the areas listed as protection and surveillance zones in the Annex to that Implementing Decision.

(5) The Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641 was recently amended by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/766 (4) following further outbreaks of HPAI in poultry or captive birds in Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, France, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden that needed to be reflected in that Annex.

(6) Since the date of adoption of Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/766, Germany has notified the Commission of new outbreaks of HPAI of subtypes H5N1 and H5N8 in holdings where poultry or captive birds were kept in the Baden-Württemberg and Lower Saxony Länder of that Member State.

(7) In addition, Poland has notified the Commission of new outbreaks of HPAI of subtype H5N8 in holdings where poultry or captive birds were kept in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Mazowieckie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Wielkopolskie voivodeships of that Member State.

(8) Moreover, Romania has notified the Commission of outbreaks of HPAI of subtypes H5N8 in holdings where poultry or captive birds were kept in the Mureș and Harghita counties of that Member State.

(9) Furthermore, Czechia has notified the Commission of new outbreaks of HPAI of subtype H5N8 in holdings where poultry or captive birds were kept in the Central Bohemian Region of that Member State.

(10) Those outbreaks in Czechia, Germany and Romania are located outside the areas currently listed in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641, and the competent authorities of those Member States have taken the necessary disease control measures required in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, including the establishment of protection and surveillance zones around these new outbreaks.

(11) The new outbreaks in Poland are located within the boundaries of the areas currently listed in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641. However, the boundaries of the new protection and surveillance zones around these new outbreaks, established by the competent authorities of Poland in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 go beyond the areas currently listed in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641, and accordingly the areas listed in that Annex need to be updated.

(12) The Commission has examined those disease control measures taken by Czechia, Germany, Poland and Romania in collaboration with those Member States, and it is satisfied that the boundaries of the protection and surveillance zones, established by the competent authorities of those Member States, are at a sufficient distance to any holding where an outbreak of HPAI has been confirmed.

(13) In order to prevent any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union and to avoid unjustified barriers to trade being imposed by third countries, it is necessary to rapidly describe at Union level, in collaboration with Czechia, Germany, Poland and Romania, the new protection and surveillance zones established by those Member States in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.

(14) Therefore, the protection and surveillance zones listed for Czechia, Germany and Poland in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641 should be amended.

(15) In addition, the protection and surveillance zones for Romania should be listed in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641.

(16) Accordingly, the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641 should be amended to update regionalisation at Union level to take account of the new protection and surveillance zones duly established by the competent authorities of Czechia, Germany, Poland and Romania in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 and the duration of the restrictions applicable therein.

(17) Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(18) Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the spread of HPAI, it is important that the amendments to be made to the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641 by this Decision take effect as soon as possible.

(19) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641 is replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2 This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 25 May 2021. For the Commission Stella KYRIAKIDES Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1.

(2) Commission 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).

(3) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641 of 16 April 2021 concerning emergency measures in relation to outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in certain Member States (OJ L 134, 20.4.2021, p. 166)

(4) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/766 of 7 May 2021 amending the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/641 concerning emergency measures in relation to outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in certain Member States (OJ L 165 I , 11.5.2021, p. 1)