COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2022/249

of 18 February 2022

amending Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 as regards the entries for the United Kingdom in the lists of third countries authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of poultry, germinal products of poultry and fresh meat of poultry and game birds

(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 Articles 230(1) and 232(1) thereof.

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EU) 2016/429 requires that consignments of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin must come from a third country or territory, or zone or compartment thereof, listed in accordance with Article 230(1) of that Regulation in order to enter the Union.

(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 (2) lays down the animal health requirements with which consignments of certain species and categories of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin from third countries or territories, or zones thereof, or compartments thereof, in the case of aquaculture animals, must comply with in order to enter the Union.

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 (3) establishes the lists of third countries, or territories, or zones or compartments thereof, from which the entry into the Union of the species and categories of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin falling within the scope of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 is permitted.

(4) More particularly, Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 set out the lists of third countries, or territories, or zones thereof authorised for the entry into the Union, respectively, of consignments of poultry, germinal products of poultry, and of fresh meat from poultry and game birds.

(5) The United Kingdom notified the Commission of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry. The outbreak is located near Bishop’s Waltham, Winchester, Hampshire, England and was confirmed on 4 February 2022 by laboratory analysis (RT-PCR).

(6) The veterinary authorities of the United Kingdom established a 10 km control zone around the affected establishments and implemented a stamping-out policy in order to control the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza and limit the spread of that disease.

(7) The United Kingdom has submitted information to the Commission on the epidemiological situation on its territory and the measures it has taken to prevent the further spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza. That information has been evaluated by the Commission. On the basis of that evaluation, the entry into the Union of consigments of poultry, germinal products of poultry, and fresh meat from poultry and game birds from the areas under restrictions established by the veterinary authorities of the United Kingdom due to the recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza should no longer be authorised.

(8) Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 should be therefore amended accordingly.

(9) Taking into account the current epidemiological situation in the United Kingdom as regards highly pathogenic avian influenza and its serious risk of introduction into the Union, the amendments to be made to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 by this Regulation should take effect as a matter of urgency.

(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 Annexes V and XIV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the 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, 18 February 2022. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

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

(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/692 of 30 January 2020 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards rules for entry into the Union, and the movement and handling after entry of consignments of certain animals, germinal products and products of animal origin (OJ L 174, 3.6.2020, p. 379).

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404 of 24 March 2021 laying down the lists of third countries, territories or zones thereof from which the entry into the Union of animals, germinal products and products of animal origin is permitted in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 114, 31.3.2021, p. 1).