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 checks applicable in intra-Union trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market, and in particular Article 10(4) thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16 December 2002 laying down the animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption, and in particular Article 4(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Commission Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU lays down animal health control measures in relation to African swine fever in certain Member States, where there have been confirmed cases of that disease in domestic or feral pigs (the Member States concerned). The Annex to that Implementing Decision demarcates and lists certain areas of the Member States concerned in Parts I to IV thereof, differentiated by the level of risk based on the epidemiological situation as regards that disease. The Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU has been amended several times to take account of changes in the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards African swine fever that need to be reflected in that Annex. The Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU was last amended by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1005, following changes in the epidemiological situation as regards that disease in Latvia and Poland.
(2)
Council Directive 2002/60/EC lays down the minimum Union measures to be taken for the control of African swine fever. In particular, Article 9 of Directive 2002/60/EC provides for the establishment of a protection zone and a surveillance zone when African swine fever has been officially confirmed in pigs on a holding, and Articles 10 and 11 of that Directive lay down the measures to be taken in the protection and surveillance zones in order to prevent the spread of that disease. In addition, Article 15 of Directive 2002/60/EC lays down the measures to be taken where African swine fever is confirmed in feral pigs. Recent experience has shown that the measures laid down in Directive 2002/60/EC are effective in controlling the spread of that disease, and in particular, the measures providing for the cleaning and disinfecting of infected holdings and the other measures related to the eradication of that disease in domestic and feral pig populations.
(3)
Since the date of adoption of Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1005, there have been new occurrences of African swine fever in domestic pigs in Slovakia and in feral pigs in Hungary and in Poland. In addition, the epidemiological situation in certain areas of Poland has improved as regards domestic pigs, due to the measures being applied by that Member State in accordance with Directive 2002/60/EC.
(4)
In July 2020, one outbreak of African swine fever in domestic pigs was observed in the district of Trebišov in Slovakia in an area currently listed in Part II of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. This outbreak of African swine fever in domestic pigs constitutes an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, this area of Slovakia, affected by this recent outbreak of African swine fever, should now be listed in Part III of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU instead of in Part II thereof.
(5)
In June and July 2020, several cases of African swine fever in feral pigs were observed in the counties of Komárom-Esztergom and Pest in Hungary in areas currently listed in Part II of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU, located in close proximity to areas currently listed in Part I thereof. These cases of African swine fever in feral pigs constitute an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, these areas of Hungary listed in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU that are in close proximity to the areas listed in Part II affected by these recent cases of African swine fever should now be listed in Part II of that Annex instead of in Part I thereof.
(6)
In July 2020, several cases of African swine fever in feral pigs were observed in the krośnieński and olsztyński districts in Poland in areas currently listed in Part II of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU, located in close proximity to areas currently listed in Part I thereof. These cases of African swine fever in feral pigs constitute an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, these areas of Poland listed in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU that are in close proximity to the areas listed in Part II affected by these recent cases of African swine fever should now be listed in Part II of that Annex instead of in Part I thereof.
(7)
Following these recent occurrences of African swine fever in domestic pigs in Slovakia and in feral pigs in Hungary and Poland, and taking into account the current epidemiological situation in the Union, regionalisation in these Member States has been reassessed and updated. In addition, the risk management measures in place have also been reassessed and updated. These changes need to be reflected in the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU.
(8)
In addition, taking into account the effectiveness of the measures being applied in Poland in accordance with Directive 2002/60/EC, and in particular those laid down in Article 10(4)(b) and Article 10(5) thereof, and in line with the risk mitigation measures for African swine fever set out in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (the OIE Code), certain areas in the district of miński in Poland, currently listed in Part III of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU should now be listed instead in Part II of that Annex, due to the absence of African swine fever outbreaks in those areas for the past 12 months in accordance with the provisions of the OIE Code.
(9)
In order to take account of recent developments in the epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the Union, and in order to combat the risks associated with the spread of that disease in a proactive manner, new high-risk areas of a sufficient size should be demarcated for Hungary, Poland and Slovakia and duly listed in Parts II and III of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. Given that Part III of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU lists the areas where the epidemiological situation is still evolving and very dynamic, when any amendments are made to areas listed in that Part, particular consideration must always be given to the effect on the surrounding areas, as has been done in this instance. Parts I, II and III of that Annex should therefore be amended accordingly.
(10)
Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the spread of African swine fever, it is important that the amendments made to the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU by this Decision take effect as soon as possible.
(11)
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: