Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/384 of 20 February 2025 concerning certain emergency measures relating to infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in Hungary and repealing Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/255 (notified under document C(2025) 1249)
Date: 2025-02-20
Institutions: Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission
Subjects: Hungary, Pomurska, Slovenia, Western Transdanubia, animal plague, goat, infectious disease, sheep, transport of animals, veterinary inspection




L_202500384EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/384


27.2.2025







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2025/384
of 20 February 2025
         
concerning certain emergency measures relating to infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in Hungary and repealing Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/255


(notified under document C(2025) 1249)


(Only the Hungarian and Slovenian 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)


Infection with peste des petits ruminants virus is an infectious 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.












(2)


In the event of an outbreak of infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in caprine or ovine animals, there is a serious risk of the spread of that disease to other establishments of caprine or ovine animals.












(3)


Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 (2) 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 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 (3). 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 infection with peste des petits ruminants virus, and for certain 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.












(4)


Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/255 (4) was adopted on the basis of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and it lays down certain interim emergency measures relating to infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in Hungary in response to an outbreak confirmed in Zala county, very close to the border with Slovenia. More particularly, Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/255 provides that the protection and surveillance zones to be established by Hungary, and the surveillance zone to be established in Slovenia, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, following that outbreak, are to comprise at least the areas listed in the Annex to that Implementing Decision.












(5)


After the adoption of Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/255, Hungary notified the Commission of two new outbreaks of infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in Zala county, one located within the established restricted zone set out the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/255, and one located outside that established restricted zone.












(6)


In the current epidemiological situation, there is a high risk of further spread of the disease, in particular due to the fact that, according to the information provided by the competent authority of Hungary, one of the new outbreaks is located outside the established surveillance zone set out the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/255, suggesting that the disease had already circulated and spread in the area for a period of time before being diagnosed.












(7)


Therefore, the restricted zone, comprising protection and surveillance zones for Hungary, and a surveillance zone for Slovenia, set out in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/255 should be adjusted, spatially and temporally in order to prevent the further spread of the disease in the territory of Hungary and to the rest of the Union. In addition, it is necessary to establish a further restricted zone in Hungary. Accordingly, it is necessary to adjust the list of restricted zones at Union level and to prolong the duration of the measures to be applied therein, set out in the Annex to that Implementing Decision.












(8)


Accordingly, regionalisation needs to be updated at Union level, and the areas identified as protection, surveillance and further restricted zones in Hungary, and as a surveillance zone in Slovenia, should be set out in the Annex to this Decision and the duration of those measures fixed.












(9)


The size and the duration of the protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones, as well as the measures to be applied within those zones is based on the criteria set out in Article 64(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and the rules laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687. In addition, the epidemiological situation regarding infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in the affected areas and the overall epidemiological situation of infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in the Member State concerned, as well as the level of risk for the further spread of that disease, is taken into account. Furthermore, the chosen duration of the emergency measures has been aligned with the international standards set out in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).












(10)


In addition, due to the severity and urgency of the epidemiological situation, it is necessary to adopt additional emergency measures in order to mitigate the risk of the further spread of the disease within the territory of Hungary and to other Member States, as well as to avoid any unjustified barriers to trade. To this end, it is necessary to ensure that movements of ovine and caprine animals from the protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones, established in the territory of Hungary, to destinations outside the external perimeters of the further restricted zone are prohibited for any reason other than movements of those animals directly to a slaughterhouse located within the territory of Hungary, for immediate slaughter, and that certain additional conditions are fulfilled.












(11)


In view of the epidemiological situation, it also necessary to identify the areas in the territory of Hungary where further measures like those applicable to further restricted zones, as provided for in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, should apply, and where movements of ovine and caprine animals outside the external perimeters of those areas for any reason other than movements of those animals directly to a slaughterhouse located within the territory of Hungary for immediate slaughter, should not be allowed, for a certain period of time, after the expiry of the dates for the measures which apply in all the protection and surveillance zones.












(12)


Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the spread of infection with peste des petits ruminants virus, and the need to prevent the disease from spreading from the affected establishments in Hungary to other parts of that Member State or to other Member States, the emergency measures laid down in this Implementing Decision should apply as soon as possible.












(13)


Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/255 should be replaced.












(14)


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
Hungary and Slovenia shall ensure that:






(a)


a restricted zone, which comprises a protection zone, a surveillance zone, and a further restricted zone, is established immediately by the competent authorities of those Member States, in accordance with Article 21 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, and under the conditions laid down in that Article 21;










(b)


the protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones, referred to in point (a), comprise at least the areas listed in Parts A and B of Annex I;










(c)


the measures required to be applied in the protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones, referred to point (a), are applied at least until the dates listed in Parts A and B of Annex I.






Article 2

1.   Where a derogation from the prohibition to move ovine and caprine animals from the protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones, established in the territory of Hungary referred to in Article 1, point (a), of this Decision, to a destination located outside the external perimeter of the further restricted zone, as set out in Part B of Annex I to this Decision, is granted in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, the authorisation of such movements shall also comply with the conditions laid down in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of this Article.


2.   Any authorisation for such movements shall be limited to direct movements of these animals to a slaughterhouse located, within the territory of Hungary, for immediate slaughter.


3.   The competent authority shall not authorise any movements where the means of transport used do not comply with the requirements for the means of transport of kept animals of listed species laid down in Article 24 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.
Such authorisation shall only allow for movements where the means of transport include ovine and caprine animals of the same health status kept in the same establishment.
Such authorisation shall only allow for movements where the means of transport are sealed by the competent authority at the establishment of origin after the loading of the animals and unsealed by the competent authority at the slaughterhouse of destination.


4.   The ovine and caprine animals due for transport shall be subject to a clinical inspection by the competent authority within a period of 24 hours or less before the date of transport.



Article 3
Hungary shall apply the measures which are applicable to further restricted zones, as provided for in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, in the areas listed in Annex II to this Decision, and in accordance with the dates set out therein.
Where a derogation from the prohibition to move ovine and caprine animals from the areas listed in Annex II to this Decision to a destination outside these areas is granted, the authorisation for such movements shall also comply with the conditions laid down in Article 2(2), (3) and (4) of this Decision.


Article 4
Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/255 is hereby repealed.


Article 5
This Decision is addressed to Hungary and the Republic of Slovenia.




Done at Brussels, 20 February 2025.


For the Commission

Olivér VÁRHELYI
            

Member of the Commission






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

(2)  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).

(3)  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/oj).

(4)  Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/255 of 31 January 2025 concerning certain interim emergency measures relating to infection with peste des petits ruminants virus in Hungary (OJ L, 2025/255, 5.2.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/255/oj).




ANNEX I

Part A : Protection and surveillance zones established around the confirmed outbreaks










Country




Administrative area and ADIS reference number of the outbreak




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




Date until applicable






Hungary




Zala county

HU-PPR-2025-00001
HU-PPR-2025-00002
HU-PPR-2025-00003



Protection zone:
Those parts of Zala county, contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 46.722217, Long. 16.415056 (HU-PPR-2025-00001), Lat. 46.75391, Long. 16.39619 (HU-PPR-2025-00002), Lat. 46.625408, Long. 16.565683 (HU-PPR-2025-00003).


21.2.2025





Surveillance zone:
Those parts of Zala county, contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 46.722217, Long. 16.415056 (HU-PPR-2025-00001), Lat. 46.75391, Long. 16.39619 (HU-PPR-2025-00002), Lat. 46.625408, Long. 16.565683 (HU-PPR-2025-00003) and the whole administrative territory of Kerkafalva, Kerkakutas, Kalócfa, Zalabaksa, Pórszombat, Szilvágy, Nova, Mikekarácsonyfa, Csertalakos, Ortaháza, Páka, Kányavár, Tormafölde, Tornyiszentmiklós, Szíjártóháza and Gáborjánháza settlements, excluding the areas contained in the protection zone.


2.3.2025





Surveillance zone:
Those parts of Zala county, contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 46.722217, Long. 16.415056 (HU-PPR-2025-00001), Lat. 46.75391, Long. 16.39619 (HU-PPR-2025-00002), Lat. 46.625408, Long. 16.565683 (HU-PPR-2025-00003)


22.2.2025 - 2.3.2025





Vas county




Protection zone:
Those parts of Vas county, contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 46.722217, Long. 16.415056 (HU-PPR-2025-00001), Lat. 46.75391, Long. 16.39619 (HU-PPR-2025-00002)


21.2.2025





Surveillance zone:
Those parts of Vas county, contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 46.722217, Long. 16.415056 (HU-PPR-2025-00001), Lat. 46.75391, Long. 16.39619 (HU-PPR-2025-00002), and the whole administrative territory of Bajánsenye, Szalafő, Őriszentpéter, Nagyrákos and Pankasz settlements, excluding the areas contained in the protection zone


2.3.2025





Surveillance zone:
Those parts of Vas county, contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 46.722217, Long. 16.415056 (HU-PPR-2025-00001), Lat. 46.75391, Long. 16.39619 (HU-PPR-2025-00002)


22.2.2025 - 2.3.2025





Slovenia




Local Authority Unit (LAU) SI00009-VET


Murska Sobota




Surveillance zone:
In the municipality of Dobrovnik, the settlements of Dobrovnik, Strehovci and Žitkovci.
In the municipality of Hodoš the settlements of Hodoš and Krplivnik.
In the municipality of Kobilje, the settlement of Kobilje.
In the municipality of Lendava, the settlements of Banuta, Čentiba, Dolga vas, Dolgovaške Gorice, Dolina pri Lendavi, Genterovci, Kamovci, Lendavske Gorice, Mostje, Pince and Radmožanci.
In the municipality of Moravske Toplice, the settlements of Berkovci, Bogojina, Bukovnica, Čikečka vas, Filovci, Fokovci, Ivanjševci, Lončarovci, Motvarjevci, Pordašinci, Prosenjakovci, Ratkovci, Selo, Središče andVučja Gomila.
In the municipality of Šalovci the settlement of Domanjševci.


2.3.2025





Part B: Further restricted zone










Country




Administrative area




Areas established as further restricted zone, part of the restricted zone in Hungary, referred to in Article 1




Date until applicable






Hungary




Zala county



In Zala county the districts of Lenti and Letenye, excluding the areas contained in any protection or surveillance zone.


2.3.2025





Vas county



In Vas county the districts of Körmend and Szentgotthárd, excluding the areas contained in any protection or surveillance zone.


2.3.2025









ANNEX II









Country




Administrative area




Areas referred to in Article 3




Dates applicable






Hungary




Zala county



In Zala county the districts of Lenti and Letenye


3.3.2025 - 1.4.2025





Vas county



In Vas county the districts of Körmend and Szentgotthárd


3.3.2025 - 1.4.2025







ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/384/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)