THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11 December 1989 concerning veterinary checks in intra-Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal market, and in particular Article 9(4) thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market, and in particular Article 10(4) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122 was adopted following outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5N8 in holdings in a number of Member States (‘the concerned Member States’) and the establishment of protection and surveillance zones by the competent authority of the concerned Member States in accordance with Council Directive 2005/94/EC.
(2)
Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122 provides that the protection and surveillance zones established by the competent authority of the concerned Member States in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC are to comprise at least the areas listed as protection and surveillance zones in the Annex to that Implementing Decision. Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122 also provides that the measures to be applied in those protection and surveillance zones are to be maintained until at least the dates specified the Annex thereto. Those dates take account of the required duration of the measures to be applied in protection and surveillance zones in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC.
(3)
Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122 was subsequently amended by Commission Implementing Decisions (EU) 2016/2219, (EU) 2016/2279, (EU) 2016/2367 and (EU) 2017/14 following further outbreaks of avian influenza of subtype H5N8 in the Union in the concerned Member States, and following outbreaks in Member States which were not listed in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122 at the time of its adoption.
(4)
Since the date of the last amendments made to Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122 by Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/14, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Croatia, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the United Kingdom have notified the Commission of further outbreaks of avian influenza of subtype H5N8 in holdings outside the areas currently listed in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122 where poultry or other captive birds are kept and they have taken the necessary measures required in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC, including the establishment of protection and surveillance zones around those outbreaks.
(5)
Furthermore, Croatia has notified the Commission of changes made to the protection and surveillance zones already previously established on its territory, in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC, to take account of the epidemiological situtation.
(6)
In addition, the Czech Republic and Greece have now notified the Commission of outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5N8 in holdings on their territory where poultry or other captive birds are kept and they have also taken the necessary measures required in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC, including the establishment of protection and surveillance zones around those outbreaks. Those two Member States are not currently listed in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122.
(7)
In all cases, the Commission has examined the measures taken by Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, France, Croatia, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the United Kingdom in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC and has satisfied itself that the boundaries of the protection and surveillance zones, established by the competent authorities of those Member States, are at a sufficient distance to any holding where an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5N8 has been confirmed.
(8)
In order to prevent any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union and to avoid unjustified barriers to trade being imposed by third countries, it is necessary to rapidly describe at Union level, in collaboration with Bulgaria, Germany, France, Croatia, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the United Kingdom, changes made to the protection and surveillance zones established in those Member States, in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC, to take account of developments in the epidemiological situtation. Therefore, the areas currently listed for those Member States in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122 should be amended.
(9)
In addition, it is also necessary to rapidly describe at Union level, in collaboration with the Czech Republic and Greece, the protection and surveillance zones established in those Member States in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC. The Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122 should therefore be further amended in order to include the areas established in the Czech Republic and Greece as protection and surveillance zones in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC.
(10)
Accordingly, the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122 should be amended to update regionalisation at Union level to include changes to the protection and surveillance zones and the duration of the restrictions applicable therein.
(11)
Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2122 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(12)
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: