Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/696
of 11 April 2017
amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 on protective measures in relation to outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in certain Member States
(notified under document C(2017) 2476)
(Text with EEA relevance)
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) 2017/247 was adopted following outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5 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) 2017/247 provides that the protection and surveillance zones established by the competent authorities 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.
(3)
The Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 was subsequently amended by Commission Implementing Decisions (EU) 2017/417 and (EU) 2017/554 , in order to take account of changes to the protection and surveillance zones established by the competent authorities of the Member States in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC, following the evolution of the epidiomiological situation as regards highly pathogenic avian influenza.
(4)
Since the date of the amendments made to Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 by Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/554, the epidiomiological situation as regards highly pathogenic avian influenza has improved. Accordingly, the protective measures laid down in Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 should be adapted to ensure that they are appropriate to cover the level of risks associated with the current epidemiological situation, and that they do not place burdens on operators that are disproportionate to the risks involved in the spread of that disease. It should be borne in mind that the current epidemic is causing a major disruption of operators' businesses, in particular for very specialised integrated production involving more than one Member State. Also, any amendments to the protective measures laid down in Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 should take into account the varying levels of risks associated with the movements of different poultry commodities.
(5)
Day-old chicks pose a very low risk for the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, in particular as the time period between the collection of the hatching eggs and the time of hatch of the day-old chicks permits the timely detection of infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in the poultry holding of origin and provided that the hatchery of dispatch can ensure by its biosecurity and traceability measures that a proper level of disease control is maintained
(6)
In addition, any amendments to the current protective measures laid down in Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 should be consistent with other rules laid down in Directive 2005/94/EC and also in Council Directive 2009/158/EC . Directive 2009/158/EC lays down general health rules governing trade within the Union in poultry and hatching eggs, including the veterinary certificates required to accompany consignments of those commodities dispatched to other Member States.
(7)
Article 6 of Directive 2009/158/EC provides that in order to be traded within the Union, day-old chicks and hatching eggs are to come from establishments which are not located in an area which for animal health reasons is subject to restrictive measures in accordance with Union legislation, as a result of an outbreak of a disease to which poultry are susceptible. Article 2 of Directive 2009/158/EC defines establishments as covering, inter alia, breeding establishments which are establishments which produce hatching eggs for the production of productive poultry, and hatcheries which are establishments which incubate and hatch eggs and supply day-old chicks.
(8)
Directive 2005/94/EC lays down specific rules to combat outbreaks of avian influenza in the Union. Article 30 of that Directive lays down the measures to be applied in the surveillance zone, including restrictions on the movements of day-old chicks and hatching eggs within the surveillance zone, and the conditions whereby the competent authority may authorise the dispatch of consignments of day-old chicks and hatching eggs from a surveillance zone.
(9)
Point (c)(iii) of Article 30 of Directive 2005/94/EC provides that the competent authority may authorise the direct transport of day-old chicks from the surveillance zone to any other holding, if they originate from hatching eggs from poultry holdings located outside the protection and surveillance zones and subject to certain conditions.
(10)
In addition, point (c)(iv) of Article 30 of Directive 2005/94/EC provides that the competent authority may authorise the direct transport of hatching eggs to a hatchery designated by the competent authority located inside or outside the surveillance zone provided that the hatching eggs and their packaging are disinfected before dispatch and the tracing of these eggs is ensured.
(11)
Accordingly, in order to prevent any disruption to trade in consignments of day-old chicks and hatching eggs from the surveillance zone, which pose a low risk for the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, but which could prove very costly for economic operators, it is necessary to lay down in Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247, the protective measures applicable to such consignments in accordance with the prevailing rules already laid down in Directives 2005/94/EC.
(12)
In addition, in order to verify compliance with the requirements of Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247, as amended by this Implementing Decision, it is appropriate that the veterinary certificates provided for in Article 20 of Directive 2009/158/EC, that are required to accompany consignments of day-old chicks, include a reference to Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 to that effect.
(13)
It is also necessary to amend the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247, as since the date of the last amendments made to that Annex by Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/554, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, France and Romania have notified the Commission of further outbreaks of avian influenza of subtype H5 in holdings outside the areas currently listed in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247, 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 new outbreaks.
(14)
In all cases, the Commission has examined the measures taken by Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, France and Romania in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC, and it 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 H5 has been confirmed.
(15)
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, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, France and Romania, the new protection and surveillance zones established in those Member States in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC. Therefore, the areas listed for those Member States in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 should be amended.
(16)
Accordingly, Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 should be amended to include rules for the dispatch of day-old chicks from surveillance zones or the dispatch of day- old chicks from hatching eggs originating from poultry in establishments located in the surveillance zone to other Member States, subject to certain conditions, and to update regionalization at Union level to include the new protection and surveillance zones established in accordance with Directive 2005/94/EC and the duration of the restrictions applicable therein.
(17)
Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(18)
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:
OJ L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 13.
OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29.
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 of 9 February 2017 on protective measures in relation to outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in certain Member States (OJ L 36, 11.2.2017, p. 62).
Council Directive 2005/94/EC of 20 December 2005 on Community measures for the control of avian influenza and repealing Directive 92/40/EEC (OJ L 10, 14.1.2006, p. 16).
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/417 of 7 March 2017 amending the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 on protective measures in relation to outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in certain Member States (OJ L 63, 9.3.2017, p. 177).
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/554 of 23 March 2017 amending the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/247 on protective measures in relation to outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in certain Member States (OJ L 79, 24.3.2017, p. 15).
Council Directive 2009/158/EC of 30 November 2009 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in, and imports from third countries of, poultry and hatching eggs (OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 74).