COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2022/925

of 14 June 2022

amending the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 concerning listed diseases of aquatic animals and the list of species and groups of species posing a considerable risk for the spread of those listed diseases

(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 8(2), Article 8(3), point (a) and Article 8(4), point (b) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EU) 2016/429 lays down rules for the prevention and control of diseases, which are transmissible to animals or humans, including rules for the prioritisation and categorisation of listed diseases that are of concern at Union level. Those rules for the prevention and control of listed diseases apply to species and groups of species, which can transmit the listed diseases, by virtue of either being susceptible to them or by acting as vectors. Those species and groups of species are listed in the table in the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 (2), in accordance with the criteria laid down in Article 8(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429. They are also categorised as category A, B, C, D or E diseases by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882.

(2) The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has recently reviewed the aquatic species, which are susceptible to a number of the diseases, listed in the OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code (3). A number of these diseases are also listed in the table in the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882. In accordance with Article 8(3), point (a) and Article 8(4), point (b) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, which concern adding species or groups of species to that list and removing them from it, and in the interest of seeking an appropriate level of convergence with OIE standards, it is timely for the Commission to review the list of species and groups of species, which are susceptible to the diseases of aquatic animals, which is set out in the table in the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882, to ensure it reflects the latest scientific knowledge.

(3) The Commission has therefore, completed a review of species, which are susceptible to the aquatic diseases, listed in the table in the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882. This review was completed in accordance with the scientific knowledge provided by the European Union Reference Laboratory for Fish and Crustacean Diseases and the European Union Reference Laboratory for Mollusc diseases (EURLs), which have carried out a systematic assessment of susceptible species for the Category A, Category C and Category E diseases of aquatic animals (the assessment). The assessment takes into account the methodology set out in Chapter 1.5. of the OIE Aquatic Code.

(4) Following the completion of the assessment, the EURLs reported on species which are susceptible to the Category A diseases Epizootic haematopoietic necrosis, Infection with Mikrocytos mackini, Infection with Perkinsus marinus, Infection with Taura syndrome virus, Infection with yellow head virus, the Category C diseases Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia, Infectious haematopoietic necrosis, Infection with HPR-deleted infectious salmon anaemia virus, Infection with Bonamia exitiosa, Infection with Bonamia ostreae, Infection with Marteilia refringens, and Infection with white spot syndrome virus, and the Category E disease, Koi herpes virus disease.

(5) According to the reports prepared by the EURLs, there is convergence between the susceptible species which are proposed for listing by the EURLs and the susceptible species which are proposed for listing by the OIE concerning the diseases Epizootic haematopoietic necrosis, Infection with Taura syndrome virus, Infection with yellow head virus, Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia, Infectious haematopoietic necrosis, Infection with HPR-deleted infectious salmon anaemia virus, Koi herpes virus, Infection with Bonamia exitiosa, Infection with Bonamia ostreae, and Infection with white spot syndrome virus.

(6) In addition, using the same criteria for listing susceptible species, the EU Reference Laboratory for mollusc diseases drew up a list of species, which are susceptible to Infection with Mikrocytos mackini, a disease which is not listed by the OIE.

(7) It is not appropriate to amend the species, which are currently listed in the table in the Annex to Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 as being susceptible to Infection with Perkinsus marinus and Infection with Marteilia refringens until the OIE has also completed their assessment of these diseases, in view of achieving an appropriate level of convergence with OIE standards.

(8) In addition, it is not appropriate to amend the list of vector species of aquatic animals, which are currently listed in the table in the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 until a scientific assessment of these species has been completed, other than the amendments, which are necessary concerning the naming of individual species as referred to in recital 9 of this Regulation.

(9) Experience has shown that the common name for a particular species may vary from one Member State to another. This variation may result in the potential risk of disease spread, if animals are not correctly identified. As the scientific name for a particular species will remain constant, the lists of aquatic species, which are set out in the table in the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 should be amended, to include only the scientific name of each species, which is relevant for the listed aquatic diseases.

(10) 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 The Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 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, 14 June 2022. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

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

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 of 3 December 2018 on the application of certain disease prevention and control rules to categories of listed diseases and establishing a list of species and groups of species posing a considerable risk for the spread of those listed diseases (OJ L 308, 4.12.2018, p. 21).

(3) OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code (2021)