COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2020/1777

of 27 November 2020

amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 on the conditions for the entry into the Union of live equidae and of semen, ova and embryos of equidae

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A (I) to Directive 90/425/EEC (1), and in particular Article 17(3) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 2009/156/EC of 30 November 2009 on animal health conditions governing the movement and importation from third countries of equidae (2), and in particular Article 12(1), (4) and (5), Article 13(2), Article 16 and Article 19(a) and (b) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 (3) lays down the conditions for entry into the Union of equidae and of semen, ova and embryos of equidae. It sets out the list of third countries from where Member States are to authorise the entry of equidae and of semen, ova and embryos of animals of the equine species, and specifies the animal health and veterinary certification conditions for such entries.

(2) Directive 2009/156/EC lays down the animal health requirements governing imports of equidae from third countries into the Union. It provides that imports of equidae into the Union are only authorised from third countries or parts of the territory thereof which have been free from glanders (Burkholderia mallei) for a period of at least six months.

(3) On 25 July 2019, Kuwait informed the Commission of two cases of glanders (Burkholderia mallei) in registered horses kept in pre-export quarantine for dispatch to the Union. Kuwait has immediately suspended the export of registered horses to the Union and taken the necessary surveillance and control measures. The entry of registered horses from Kuwait into the Union was therefore suspended by adoption of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2147 (4). On 8 September 2019, three more horses in the same farm were confirmed positive for glanders by complement fixation test (CFT) carried out in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Regional Reference Laboratory. On 23 June 2020, Kuwait informed the Commission that on 30 April 2020 it had completed an active clinical and serological survey, including testing for glanders of 7 914 horses carried out with negative results in an OIE Regional Reference Laboratory.

(4) Kuwait has thus demonstrated that it has remained free of glanders since the last case was detected on 8 September 2019. As a consequence, temporary admission of registered horses, re-entry of registered horses after temporary export and imports of registered horses as well as transit of equidae from Kuwait should be authorised. It is therefore appropriate to amend the entry for Kuwait in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659.

(5) On 25 December 2019, Turkey notified through the Animal Disease Notification System, that a case of glanders was confirmed on 4 December 2019 in a horse on the Büyükada Island, Province of Istanbul, Turkey. The entry into the Union of equidae and of germinal products of equidae from Turkey was suspended for a period of at least 6 months by adoption of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/581 (5).

(6) Turkey has provided information documenting that the Provinces of Ankara, Edirne, Istanbul, Izmir, Kirklareli and Tekirdag have remained free of glanders for more than six months since the outbreak on the Büyükada Island was notified on 25 December 2019. That country has furthermore implemented measures to reduce the risk of introduction of glanders into those provinces. As a consequence, temporary admission of registered horses, re-entry of registered horses after temporary export and imports of registered horses as well as transit of equidae from the Provinces of Ankara, Edirne, Istanbul, Izmir, Kirklareli and Tekirdag should be authorised. It is therefore appropriate to amend the entry for Turkey in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659.

(7) Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(8) 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:

Article 1 Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 27 November 2020. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 268, 14.9.1992, p. 54.

(2) OJ L 192, 23.7.2010, p. 1.

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 of 12 April 2018 on the conditions for the entry into the Union of live equidae and of semen, ova and embryos of equidae (OJ L 110, 30.4.2018, p. 1).

(4) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2147 of 28 November 2019 amending and correcting Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 on the conditions for the entry into the Union of live equidae and of semen, ova and embryos of equidae (OJ L 325, 16.12.2019, p. 99).

(5) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/581 of 27 April 2020 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/659 on the conditions for the entry into the Union of live equidae and of semen, ova and embryos of equidae (OJ L 133, 28.4.2020, p. 52).