Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/400 of 23 January 2024 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725 concerning certain emergency measures relating to sheep pox and goat pox in certain Member States (notified under document C(2024) 486)
Date: 2024-01-23
Institutions: Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission
Subjects: Bulgaria, Central Greece, Greece, Northern Aegean, animal disease, goat, sheep, transport of animals, veterinary inspection, viral disease




L_202400400EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
Series L













2024/400


24.1.2024







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2024/400
of 23 January 2024
         
amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725 concerning certain emergency measures relating to sheep pox and goat pox in certain Member States


(notified under document C(2024) 486)


(Only the Greek and Bulgarian texts are authentic)
(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) thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Sheep pox and goat pox is an infectious viral disease affecting caprine and ovine animals and can have a severe impact on the concerned animal population and the profitability of farming, causing disturbance to movements of consignments of those animals and products thereof within the Union and exports to third countries. In the event of an outbreak of that disease in caprine and ovine animals, there is a serious risk that it may spread to other establishments keeping those animals.












(2)


Sheep pox and goat pox is defined as a category A disease in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 (2). In addition, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 (3) supplements the rules for the control of the listed diseases referred to in Article 9(1), points (a), (b) and (c), of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and defined as category A, B and C diseases in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882. In particular, Articles 21 and 22 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 provide for the establishment of a restricted zone in the event of an outbreak of a category A disease, including sheep pox and goat pox, and for certain disease control measures to be applied therein. In addition, Article 21(1) of that Delegated Regulation provides that the restricted zone is to comprise a protection zone, a surveillance zone, and, if necessary, further restricted zones around or adjacent to the protection and surveillance zones.












(3)


Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725 (4) lays down certain emergency measures following confirmed outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox in Bulgaria and Greece.












(4)


More particularly, Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725 provides that the restricted zones to be established by Bulgaria and Greece, following outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, are to comprise at least the areas listed in the Annex to that Implementing Decision. In addition, Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725 lays down certain measures to be applied in the further restricted zones, in addition to the disease control measures laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.












(5)


In Bulgaria, no new outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox have been reported since the confirmation on 16 September 2023 of a single outbreak in the province of Burgas. As a result, all restricted zones in that Member State have been lifted since 30 November 2023.












(6)


After the adoption of Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725, Greece notified the Commission of additional outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox in establishments where ovine animals were kept, located in the regional unit of Phthiotis, in the region of Central Greece. As a result, the areas listed as protection and surveillance zones, as well as the areas listed as further restricted zones for Greece, in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725, were subsequently amended. The last amendment to that Annex was made by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/263 (5).












(7)


Since the adoption of Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/263, Greece has notified the Commission of two additional outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox in establishments where sheep and goats were kept, in the regional unit of Phthiotis, in the region of Central Greece, within the protection zone already established in that region.












(8)


Greece has informed the Commission of the current sheep pox and goat pox situation on its territory, following the recent outbreaks of that disease in the regional unit of Phthiotis, and it has taken the necessary disease control measures required in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.












(9)


Taking into account the evolution of the epidemiological situation as regards sheep pox and goat pox in Greece, and in order to prevent any unnecessary disturbance to movements of consignments of ovine and caprine animals within the Union, and to avoid unjustified barriers to trade by third countries, it is necessary to rapidly identify at Union level the restricted zones for sheep pox and goat pox, which comprise the protection and surveillance zones, as well as the further restricted zones in Greece, in collaboration with this Member State. Furthermore, in view of the current epidemiological situation, it is necessary to amend the size and duration of these zones, including the previously established further restricted zone in the regional unit of Lesvos.












(10)


Therefore, the areas identified as protection, surveillance and further restricted zones in Greece, in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725, should be amended, spatially and temporally, taking into account the current epidemiological situation as regards sheep pox and goat pox in the region of Central Greece.












(11)


In addition, taking into account the current epidemiological situation in the Union as regards sheep pox and goat pox, the period of application of Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725 should be extended, and it should apply until 31 May 2024.












(12)


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

Amendments to Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725

Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725 is amended as follows:






(1)


Article 5 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 5
Application
This Decision shall apply until 31 May 2024.’
;









(2)


the Annex is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.






Article 2

Addressees

This Decision is addressed to the Republic of Bulgaria and to the Hellenic Republic.




Done at Brussels, 23 January 2024.


For the Commission

Stella KYRIAKIDES
            

Member of the Commission






(1)  
            OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/429/2021-04-21

(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, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2018/1882/2022-07-05).

(3)  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, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2020/687/oj).

(4)  Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725 of 29 November 2023 concerning certain emergency measures relating to sheep pox and goat pox in certain Member States and repealing Implementing Decisions (EU) 2023/2067 and (EU) 2023/2470 (OJ L, 2023/2725, 4.12.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2023/2725/oj).

(5)  Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/263 of 11 January 2024 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725 concerning certain emergency measures relating to sheep pox and goat pox in certain Member States (OJ L, 2024/263, 15.1.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2024/263/oj).




ANNEX
In the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2725, Part 2 concerning Greece is replaced by the following:

‘2.   GREECE

A.   Protection and surveillance zones established around confirmed outbreaks









Region



Areas established as protection and surveillance zones, part of the restricted zone in Greece referred to in Article 1


Date until applicable





Region of Central Greece




Protection zone:
A protection zone that comprises the following areas:






—


in the regional unit of Phthiotis, the Municipality of Lokroi,










—


in the regional unit of Boeotia, the communities of Loutsi and Pavlos.






22.2.2024





Surveillance zone:
A surveillance zone that comprises the following areas:






—


in the regional unit of Phthiotis, the Municipal units of Agios Konstantinos and the Municipal unit of Elateia;










—


in the regional unit of Boeotia, the Municipality of Orchomenos, excluding the communities of Loutsi and Pavlos and the Municipal unit of Chaeronea.






7.3.2024





Surveillance zone:
A surveillance zone that comprises the following areas:






—


in the regional unit of Phthiotis, the Municipality of Lokroi,










—


in the regional unit of Boeotia, the communities of Loutsi and Pavlos.






23.2.2024-7.3.2024




B.   Further restricted zones









Region



Areas established as further restricted zones in Greece as referred to in Article 1


Date until applicable





Region of North Aegean



A further restricted zone that comprises the entire territory of the regional unit of Lesvos.


30.4.2024





Region of Central Greece



A further restricted zone that comprises:






—


the entire territory of the regional unit of Phthiotis;










—


the entire territory of the regional unit of Boeotia;










—


in the regional unit of Euboea, the entire territory of the municipality of Chalcis.






30.4.2024’








ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2024/400/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)