Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/859 of 30 April 2025 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207 concerning certain emergency measures relating to sheep pox and goat pox in Greece (notified under document C(2025) 2733)
Date: 2025-04-30
Institutions: Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission
Subjects: Central Greece, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece, Thessaly, Western Greece, animal disease, goat, sheep, transport of animals, veterinary inspection, viral disease








L_202500859EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/859


7.5.2025







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2025/859
of 30 April 2025
         
amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207 concerning certain emergency measures relating to sheep pox and goat pox in Greece


(notified under document C(2025) 2733)


(Only the Greek text is 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 it 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 sheep pox and goat pox 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 sheep pox and goat pox, and for certain measures to be applied therein. 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)


In order to address outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox in Greece, notified in August 2024, the Commission adopted Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207 (4), which lays down certain emergency measures relating to that disease in Greece. In particular, it provides that the protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones to be established by that Member State, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, are to comprise at least the areas listed in the Annex to that Implementing Decision.












(5)


Since the last amendment of Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207, Greece has notified the Commission of nine new outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox, which were reported between 14 and 25 April 2025, in establishments where ovine and caprine animals were kept, in the regional units of Larisa, Aetolia-Acarnania, Phocis and Evros.












(6)


Therefore, the areas listed as protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones for Greece in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207, as well as the duration of the measures applicable therein, should be adjusted in order to prevent the further spread of the disease in Greece or to the rest of the Union. Accordingly, it is necessary to amend the list of restricted zones, and the duration of the measures to be applied therein, set out in the Annex to that Implementing Decision.












(7)


The size of the protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones, and the duration of the measures to be applied therein, is based on the criteria set out in Article 64(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, as well as the rules laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687. The criteria applied for the choice of the size of the protection, surveillance, and further restricted zones, as well as of the duration of the measures to be applied therein, include a consideration of not only the epidemiological situation as regards sheep pox and goat pox in the areas affected by that disease, but also of the overall epidemiological situation of sheep pox and goat pox in the entire territory of the Member State concerned by that disease, as well as the level of risk for the further spread of the disease. The chosen duration of the measures has also taken into account the international standards of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (5). In the current epidemiological situation, there is a high risk of the further spread of the disease. The disease has been reconfirmed after more than six months in the regional unit of Larisa, outside the limits of the currently established restricted zones in Greece. In addition, outbreaks continue to be reported in the regional units of Aetolia-Acarnania, Phocis and Evros more than four months after the first confirmed outbreak in those areas suggesting that the disease continues to circulate despite the measures already put in place, and within the restricted zones established in accordance Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.












(8)


In addition, in view of the occurrence of the nine new outbreaks of sheep pox and goat pox in Greece since the last amendment of Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207 it is also necessary to prolong the prohibition on the movements of sheep and goats from the entire territory of Greece, to a destination located outside Greece until 31 October 2025, in order to avoid the spread of the disease to the rest of the Union or to third countries, as well as any unjustified barriers to trade being imposed by third countries. Therefore, Article 3 of that Implementing Decision should be amended accordingly.












(9)


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) 2024/2207

Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2207 is amended as follows:






(1)


in Article 3, point (e), the date ‘31 July 2025’ is replaced by ‘31 October 2025’;










(2)


the Annex is replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Decision.






Article 2

Addressee

This Decision is addressed to the Hellenic Republic.




Done at Brussels, 30 April 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) 2024/2207 of 29 August 2024 concerning certain emergency measures relating to sheep pox and goat pox in Greece (OJ L, 2024/2207, 30.8.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2024/2207/oj).

(5)  
            https://www.woah.org/en/what-we-do/standards/codes-and-manuals/terrestrial-code-online-access/.




ANNEX
A.   Protection and surveillance zones established around the confirmed outbreaks








Regional unit and ADIS reference number of the outbreaks


Areas established as protection and surveillance zones, part of the restricted zone in Greece referred to in Article 2


Date until applicable





Regional unit of Phocis

GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00058
GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00059
GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00060
GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00061


Protection zone:
Those parts of the regional unit of Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.39722222, Long. 21.88472222 (2025/00058), Lat. 38.37944444, Long. 21.88916667 (2025/59), Lat. 38.39194444, Long. 21.88555556 (2025/60), Lat. 38.37861111, Long. 2 1.87972222 (2025/61)


19.5.2025




Surveillance zone:
Those parts of the regional unit of Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.39722222, Long. 21.88472222 (2025/00058), Lat. 38.37944444, Long. 21.88916667 (2025/59), Lat. 38.39194444, Long. 21.88555556 (2025/60), Lat. 38.37861111, Long. 2 1.87972222 (2025/61) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone


28.5.2025




Surveillance zone:
Those parts of the regional unit of Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.39722222, Long. 21.88472222 (2025/00058), Lat. 38.37944444, Long. 21.88916667 (2025/59), Lat. 38.39194444, Long. 21.88555556 (2025/60), Lat. 38.37861111, Long. 2 1.87972222 (2025/61)


20.5.2025-28.5.2025





Regional unit of Evros

GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00057


Protection zone:
Those parts of the regional unit of Evros contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 40.478972, Long. 25.664547 (2025/57)


16.5.2025




Surveillance zone:
Those parts of the regional unit of Evros contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 40.478972, Long. 25.664547 (2025/57) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone


25.5.2025




Surveillance zone:
Those parts of the regional unit of Evros contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 40.478972, Long. 25.664547 (2025/57) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone


17.5.2025-25.5.2025





Regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania

GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00045
GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00053
GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00055
GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00056


Protection zone:
Those parts of the regional units of Aetolia-Acarnania and Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.391486, Long. 21.854056 (2025/00045), Lat. 38.39565278, Long. 21.85270278 (2025/53), Lat. 38.40945556, Long. 21.85508889 (2025/55), Lat. 38.42558056, Long. 21.84985 (2025/56)


8.5.2025




Surveillance zone:
Those parts of the regional units of Aetolia-Acarnania and Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.391486, Long. 21.854056 (2025/00045), Lat. 38.39565278, Long. 21.85270278 (2025/53), Lat. 38.40945556, Long. 21.85508889 (2025/55), Lat. 38.42558056, Long. 21.84985 (2025/56) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone


17.5.2025




Surveillance zone:
Those parts of the regional units of Aetolia-Acarnania and Phocis contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 38.391486, Long. 21.854056 (2025/00045), Lat. 38.39565278, Long. 21.85270278 (2025/53), Lat. 38.40945556, Long. 21.85508889 (2025/55) Lat. 38.42558056, Long. 21.84985 (2025/56)


9.5.2025 – 17.5.2025





Regional unit of Rhodopi

GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00048
GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00051 GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00052


Surveillance zone:
Those parts of the regional units of Rhodopi, Evros and Xanthi contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 41.114744, Long. 25.172189 (2025/00048), Lat. 40.961418, Long. 25.573621 (2025/00051), Lat. 41.047725, Long. 25.399029 (2025/00052) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone


7.5.2025




Surveillance zone:
Those parts of the regional units of Rhodopi, Evros and Xanthi contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 41.114744, Long. 25.172189 (2025/00048), Lat. 40.961418, Long. 25.573621 (2025/00051), Lat. 41.047725, Long. 25.399029 (2025/00052)


29.4.2025 – 7.5.2025





Regional unit of Larisa

GR-CAPRIPOX-2025-00054


Protection zone:
Those parts of the regional unit of Larisa contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 39.9135346, Long. 22.61496985 (2025/00054)


8.5.2025




Surveillance zone:
Those parts of the regional unit of Larisa and Pieria contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 39.9135346, Long. 22.61496985 (2025/00054) excluding the areas contained in any protection zone


17.5.2025




Surveillance zone:
Those parts of the regional unit of Larisa and Pieria contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 39.9135346, Long. 22.61496985 (2025/00054)


9.5.2025 – 17.5.2025




B.   Further restricted zones









Further restricted zone


Regional unit


Areas included in the further restricted zones established in Greece as referred to in Article 2


Date until applicable





Further restricted zone No 1




Regional unit of Evros



The regional unit of Evros excluding the municipality of Samothrace, excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone.


7.5.2025




The regional unit of Evros excluding the municipality of Samothrace


8.5.2025 – 6.6.2025





Further restricted zone No 2




Regional unit of Rhodopi



The regional unit of Rhodopi, excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone.


7.5.2025




The regional unit of Rhodopi


8.5.2025 – 6.6.2025





Further restricted zone No 3




Regional unit of Kavala



The regional unit of Kavala including the municipality of Thasos


6.6.2025





Regional unit of Drama



The municipality of Doxato


6.6.2025





Regional unit of Xanthi



The regional unit of Xanthi excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone.


7.5.2025




The regional unit of Xanthi


8.5.2025 – 6.6.2025





Further restricted zone No 4




Regional unit of Chalkidiki



The municipalities of Aristotelis, and Polygyros.


14.4.2025 – 13.5.2025





Further restricted zone No 8




Regional unit of Magnesia



The regional unit of Magnesia, excluding the Sporades islands


28.4.2025 – 27.5.2025





Regional unit of Phthiotis



The municipality of Stylida


28.4.2025 – 27.5.2025





Further restricted zone No 9




Regional unit of Phocis



The municipality of Dorida excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone


28.5.2025




The municipality of Dorida


29.5.2025 – 27.6.2025





Regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania



The municipalities of Nafpaktia and Messolonghi, excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone


17.5.2025




The municipalities of Nafpaktia Messolonghi


18.5.2025 – 27.6.2025





Further restricted zone No 9A




Regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania



The municipalities of Agrinio Thermo, Agrinio, Xiromero, Thermo


16.6.2025





Further restricted zone no 16




Municipality of Samothrace in the regional unit of Evros



Municipality of Samothrace, excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone.


25.5.2025




The municipality of Samothrace


26.5.2025-24.6.2025





Further restricted zone no 18




Regional unit of Thessaloniki



The municipalities of Volvi and Lagkadas.


14.4.2025 – 13.5.2025





Further restricted zone no 19




Regional unit of Larisa



The municipalities of Agia and Tempi excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone


17.5.2025





Regional unit of Larisa



The municipalities of Agia and Tempi


18.5.2025 – 16.6.2025





Regional unit of Pieria



The municipality of Dion-Olympos excluding the areas included in any protection or surveillance zone


17.5.2025





Regional unit of Pieria



The municipality of Dion-Olympos


18.5.2025 – 16.6.2025







ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/859/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)