2006/572/EC: Commission Decision of 18 August 2006 amending Decision 2005/393/EC as regards the restricted zones in relation to bluetongue in Spain and Portugal (notified under document number C(2006) 3700)   (Text with EEA relevance)

19.8.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 227/60
COMMISSION DECISION
of 18 August 2006
amending Decision 2005/393/EC as regards the restricted zones in relation to bluetongue in Spain and Portugal
(notified under document number C(2006) 3700)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2006/572/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 2000/75/EC of 20 November 2000 laying down specific provisions for the control and eradication of bluetongue (1), and in particular Article 8(3)(c) and the third paragraph of Article 19 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Directive 2000/75/EC lays down control rules and measures to combat bluetongue in the Community, including the establishment of protection and surveillance zones and a ban on animals leaving those zones.
(2) Commission Decision 2005/393/EC of 23 May 2005 on protection and surveillance zones in relation to bluetongue and conditions applying to movements from or through these zones (2) provides for the demarcation of the global geographic areas where protection and surveillance zones (the restricted zones) are to be established by the Member States in relation to bluetongue.
(3) Spain has informed the Commission that the presence of the vector has been detected in a number of new peripheral areas of the restricted zone.
(4) Consequently, the restricted zone related to Spain should be extended taking into account of the data available on the ecology of the vector and the evolution of its seasonal activity.
(5) Portugal has informed the Commission that no virus has circulated in the councils of Oleiros, Sertã and Vila de Rei since November 2005.
(6) Consequently, these councils should be considered free of bluetongue and, on the basis of the substantiated request submitted by Portugal, deleted from the areas listed for restricted zones.
(7) Decision 2005/393/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.
(8) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,