EN
8.3.2023
Official Journal of the European Union
L 70/7
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2023/506 of 6 March 2023 amending Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 laying down special control measures for African swine fever (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 71(3) thereof, Whereas: (1)
African swine fever is an infectious viral disease affecting kept and wild porcine 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)
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 (2) was adopted within the framework of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and it lays down special disease control measures regarding African swine fever to be applied for a limited period of time by the Member States listed in Annex I thereto (the Member States concerned), in restricted zones I, II and III listed in that Annex.
(3)
The areas listed as restricted zones I, II and III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 are based on the epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Union.
Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 was last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/373 (3) following changes in the epidemiological situation as regards that disease in Italy, Poland and Slovakia.
Since the date of adoption of that Implementing Regulation, the epidemiological situation as regards that disease in certain Member States concerned has evolved.
(4)
Any amendments to restricted zones I, II and III in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 should be based on the epidemiological situation as regards African swine fever in the areas affected by that disease and the overall epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Member State concerned, the level of risk for the further spread of that disease, as well as scientifically based principles and criteria for geographically defining zoning due to African swine fever and the Union’s guidelines agreed with the Member States at the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed and publicly available on the Commission’s website (4).
Such amendments should also take account of international standards, such as the Terrestrial Animal Health Code (5) of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and justifications for zoning provided by the competent authorities of the Member States concerned.
(5)
There have been several outbreaks of African swine fever in wild porcine animals in Germany and Italy, and one outbreak in kept porcine animals in Germany.
Also, the ASF epidemiological situation in wild porcine animals has evolved in Greece.
(1) OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1.
(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 of 7 April 2021 laying down special control measures for African swine fever (OJ L 129, 15.4.2021, p. 1).
(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/373 of 17 February 2023 amending Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 laying down special control measures for African swine fever (OJ L 51, 20.2.2023, p. 40).
(4) Working Document SANTE/7112/2015/Rev.
3 ‘Principles and criteria for geographically defining ASF regionalisation’.
https://ec. europa.eu/food/animals/animal-diseases/control-measures/asf_en (5) OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code, 29th Edition, 2021.
Volumes I and II ISBN 978-92-95115-40-8; https://www.woah.org/en/whatwe-do/standards/codes-and-manuals/terrestrial-code-online-access/