http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/eudn/2017/888

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/888

of 22 May 2017

amending Decision 2003/467/EC as regards the official tuberculosis-free status of the region of Umbria of Italy and of the enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free status of Poland, amending Decision 2004/558/EC as regards the infectious bovine rhinotracheitis-free status of Germany, and amending Decision 2008/185/EC as regards the Aujeszky's disease-free status of certain regions of Poland and the approval of the eradication programme for Aujeszky's disease for the region of Veneto of Italy

(notified under document C(2017) 3239)

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Directive 64/432/EEC of 26 June 1964 on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine1, and in particular Articles 9(2) and 10(2) thereof, and paragraph 4 of Annex A.I and Section E of Chapter I of Annex D thereto,

Whereas:

(1)

Directive 64/432/EEC lays down rules for trade within the Union in bovine and porcine animals, and the conditions whereby a Member State or a region thereof may be declared officially tuberculosis-free or officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free as regards bovine herds.

(2)

Commission Decision 2003/467/EC2 provides that the regions of the Member States listed in Chapter 2 of Annex I thereto are declared officially free of tuberculosis as regards bovine herds. Italy has submitted to the Commission documentation demonstrating that the region of Umbria complies with the conditions laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC in order to be recognised as an officially tuberculosis-free region as regards bovine herds. Consequently, the region of Umbria should be listed in Chapter 2 of Annex I to Decision 2003/467/EC. Annex I to Decision 2003/467/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(3)

In addition, Decision 2003/467/EC provides that the Member States and the regions thereof listed respectively in Chapters 1 and 2 of Annex III thereto are declared officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free as regards bovine herds. All regions of Poland, with the exception of nine poviats of the Zachodniopomorskie voivodship, are currently listed in that Decision as officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free regions. Poland has now submitted to the Commission documentation demonstrating that those remaining nine poviats comply with the conditions laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC in order to be recognised as officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free regions as regards bovine herds. Poland has accordingly applied for its entire territory to be recognised as officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free.

(4)

Therefore, Poland should be listed as an officially enzootic-bovine-leukosis-free Member State in Chapter 1 of Annex III to Decision 2003/467/EC, and the entry for that Member State in Chapter 2 of that Annex should be deleted. Annex III to Decision 2003/467/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5)

Article 9 of Directive 64/432/EEC provides that a Member State which has a compulsory national control programme for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis or Aujeszky's disease may submit its programme to the Commission for approval. It also provides that additional guarantees may be required for intra-Union trade in bovine and porcine animals.

(6)

Article 10 of Directive 64/432/EEC provides that where a Member State considers that its territory or part thereof is free of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis or Aujeszky's disease, it is to present appropriate supporting documentation to the Commission. It also provides that additional guarantees may be required for intra-Union trade in bovine and porcine animals.

(7)

Commission Decision 2004/558/EC3 approves the programmes for the control and eradication of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis caused by the bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV1) presented by the Member States listed in Annex I thereto, for the regions of those Member States listed in that Annex, and for which additional guarantees for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis apply in accordance with Article 9 of Directive 64/432/EEC. In addition, Annex II to Decision 2004/558/EC lists the regions of the Member States that are considered free of BHV1, and for which additional guarantees for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis apply in accordance with Article 10 of Directive 64/432/EEC.

(8)

The Regierungsbezirke Köln and Düsseldorf of the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia of Germany are currently listed in Annex I to Decision 2004/558/EC. Those two regions are the last remaining regions of Germany which have not yet been recognised as being free of BHV1.

(9)

Germany has now submitted to the Commission supporting documentation in order for the Regierungsbezirke Köln and Düsseldorf to be considered as being free of BHV1. Germany has accordingly applied for its entire territory to be considered free of BHV1 and for the additional guarantees for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis to apply to it in accordance with Article 10 of Directive 64/432/EEC.

(10)

Following the evaluation of the supporting documentation submitted by Germany, the Regierungsbezirke Köln and Düsseldorf should no longer be listed in Annex I to Decision 2004/558/EC, and the entry for Germany in Annex II thereto should be amended so as to cover all regions of that Member State. Annexes I and II to Decision 2004/558/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(11)

Commission Decision 2008/185/EC4 lays down additional guarantees for movements of porcine animals between Member States. Those guarantees are linked to the classification of the Member States according to their disease status for Aujeszky's disease. Annex I to Decision 2008/185/EC lists the Member States or regions thereof that are free of Aujesky's disease and where vaccination is prohibited, and Annex II thereto lists the Member States or regions thereof where approved national control programmes for the eradication of Aujeszky's disease are in place.

(12)

Italy has submitted to the Commission supporting documentation for the approval of its control programme for the eradication of Aujeszky's disease for the region of Veneto and for this region to be duly listed in Annex II to Decision 2008/185/EC. Following the evaluation of that supporting documentation, the region of Veneto should be listed in Annex II to Decision 2008/185/EC. Annex II to Decision 2008/185/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(13)

The whole territory of Poland is currently listed in Annex II to Decision 2008/185/EC. Poland has now submitted to the Commission supporting documentation for the regions augustowski, białostocki, Białystok, bielski, hajnowski, moniecki, sejneński, siemiatycki, sokólski, suwalski and Suwałki to be considered free of Aujeszky's disease, and for those regions to be duly listed in Annex I to Decision 2008/185/EC. Following the evaluation of that supporting documentation, those regions should no longer be listed in Annex II to Decision 2008/185/EC, but instead they should be listed in Annex I thereto. Annexes I and II to Decision 2008/185/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(14)

Decisions 2003/467/EC, 2004/558/EC and 2008/185/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(15)

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: