COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2018/1635

of 30 October 2018

amending the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU concerning animal health control measures relating to African swine fever in certain Member States

(notified under document C(2018) 7333)

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11 December 1989 concerning veterinary checks in intra-Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal market (1), and in particular Article 9(4) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market (2), and in particular Article 10(4) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16 December 2002 laying down the animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption (3), and in particular Article 4(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU (4) lays down animal health control measures in relation to African swine fever in certain Member States, where there have been confirmed cases of that disease in domestic or feral pigs (the Member States concerned). The Annex to that Implementing Decision demarcates and lists certain areas of the Member States concerned in Parts I to IV thereof, differentiated by the level of risk based on the epidemiological situation as regards that disease. The Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU has been amended several times to take account of changes in the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards African swine fever that need to be reflected in that Annex. The Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU was last amended by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1576 (5), following recent instances of African swine fever in Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania.

(2) The risk of the spread of African swine fever in wildlife is linked to the natural slow spread of that disease among feral pig populations, and also the risks linked to human activity, as demonstrated by the recent epidemiological evolution of that disease in the Union, and as documented by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in the Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare, published on 14 July 2015; in the Scientific Report of EFSA on Epidemiological analyses on African swine fever in the Baltic countries and Poland, published on 23 March 2017; and in the Scientific Report of EFSA on Epidemiological analyses of African swine fever in the Baltic States and Poland, published on 8 November 2017 (6).

(3) Since the date of adoption of Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1576, the epidemiological situation in the Union has evolved as regards African swine fever, and there have been further instances of that disease that need to be reflected in the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU.

(4) In October 2018, one case of African swine fever in a feral pig was observed in the province of Silistra in Bulgaria. This case of African swine fever in a feral pig constitutes an increased level of risk which should be reflected in the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. Accordingly, this area of Bulgaria affected by African swine fever should be listed in Part II of that Annex.

(5) In October 2018, an outbreak of African swine fever in domestic pigs was observed in the county of Maramureș in Romania. This outbreak of African swine fever in domestic pigs constitutes an increased level of risk which should be reflected in the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. Accordingly, this area of Romania affected by African swine fever should now be listed in Part III of that Annex instead of in Part I thereof. Given that Part III of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU lists the areas where the situation is still evolving and dynamic, when any areas are listed in that Part, particular consideration must always be given to the effect on the surrounding areas.

(6) In order to take account of recent developments in the epidemiological evolution 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 high-risk areas of a sufficient size should be demarcated for Bulgaria and Romania and duly listed in Parts I, II and III of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. The Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7) 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 2014/709/EU 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, 30 October 2018. For the Commission Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 13.

(2) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29.

(3) OJ L 18, 23.1.2003, p. 11.

(4) Commission Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU of 9 October 2014 concerning animal health control measures relating to African swine fever in certain Member States and repealing Implementing Decision 2014/178/EU (OJ L 295, 11.10.2014, p. 63).

(5) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1576 of 18 October 2018 amending the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU concerning animal health control measures relating to African swine fever in certain Member States (OJ L 262, 19.10.2018, p. 71).

(6) EFSA Journal 2015;13(7):4163; EFSA Journal 2017;15(3):4732; EFSA Journal 2017;15(11):5068.