17.3.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
L 79/69
(18)
Accordingly, in order to avoid the spread of African swine fever by wild porcine animals, well-coordinated measures by the Member States are crucial to circumvent a duplication of efforts.
This Regulation should therefore provide for an obligation on the Member States to establish National action plans for wild porcine animals in order to avoid the spread of African swine fever in the Union, by ensuring a coordinated and consistent approach across the Member States (national action plans).
Minimum requirements for the national action plans should take account of scientific advice provided by EFSA, in particular on preventive measures to reduce and stabilise wild boar density before the introduction of that disease, passive surveillance, biosecurity measures during the hunting of wild porcine animals, in order to provide for a harmonised approach in the Member States.
These national action plans and the annual results of their implementation should be presented to the Commission and to the other Member States.
(19)
The wild porcine animals management measures taken in the context of the national action plans should be compatible, where relevant, with Union environmental rules, including the nature protection requirements, laid down in Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (12) and Council Directive 92/43/EEC (13).
(20)
In order to take account of the recent developments in the epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Union, new experience and knowledge gathered in the Union, and in order to combat the risks associated with the spread of that disease in a proactive manner, revised and extended special disease control rules should be laid down in this Regulation.
Accordingly, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 should be repealed and replaced by this Regulation.
(21)
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/605 applies until 20 April 2028.
Taking account of the current epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Union, it is necessary to maintain the special disease control measures laid down in this Regulation until that date.
(22)
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:
CHAPTER I SUBJECT MATTER, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS
Article 1 Subject matter and scope 1.
This Regulation lays down rules on:
(a) special disease control measures regarding African swine fever to be applied for a limited period of time by the Member States (14) which are listed or which have areas listed in Annex I and II (the Member States concerned).
Those special disease control measures apply to kept and wild porcine animals and to products obtained from porcine animals in addition to the measures applicable in the protection, surveillance, further restricted and infected zones established by the competent authorities of those Member States in accordance with Article 21(1) and Article 63 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687.
(12) Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds (OJ L 20, 26.1.2010, p. 7).
(13) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7).
(14) In accordance with the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 5(4) of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland in conjunction with Annex 2 to that Protocol, for the purposes of this Regulation references to Member States include the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland.