Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007 is amended as follows:
Article 4 is replaced by the following:
Member States shall implement bluetongue monitoring and surveillance programmes in accordance with the minimum requirements set out in Annex I.’;
Article 5 is deleted;
in Article 6, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:
‘2.Before taking any decision to remove an epidemiologically relevant geographical area from a restricted zone, Member States shall provide the Commission with substantiated information demonstrating the absence of bluetongue virus circulation in that area during a period of two years, including two full vector activity seasons, following the implementation of the bluetongue monitoring and surveillance programme in accordance with point 3 of Annex I.’;
in Article 7, paragraph 2a is replaced by the following:
‘2a.Member States may demarcate an epidemiological relevant geographical area in a restricted zone as a “provisionally free area” provided that for a period of one year, including one full vector season, monitoring and surveillance in accordance with point 3 of Annex I has demonstrated the absence of bluetongue virus circulation in that part of the restricted zone for that specific bluetongue serotype or combination of serotypes.
A Member State which intends to demarcate a restricted zone or part of a restricted zone as a “provisionally free area” shall notify its intention to the Commission. That notification shall be accompanied by the information referred to in point 3 of Annex I.
The Commission shall inform the Member States in the framework of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health of the list of “provisionally free areas”.
Movements of animals within the same restricted zone from an area where the same bluetongue virus serotype or serotypes are circulating to a part of the same restricted zone demarcated as a “provisionally free area” may only be permitted if:
(a)the animals comply with the conditions set out in Annex III; or
(b)the animals comply with any other appropriate animal health guarantees based on a positive outcome of a risk assessment of measures against the spread of the bluetongue virus and protection against attacks by vectors, required by the competent authority of the place of origin and approved by the competent authority of the place of destination, prior to the movement of such animals; or
(c)the animals are destined for immediate slaughter.’;
in Article 8(5), the third subparagraph is replaced by the following:
‘Information on the designated slaughterhouses shall be made available to the other Member States and to the public.’;
Article 9 is replaced by the following:
1.The transit of animals shall be allowed by the competent authority provided that:
(a)after adequate cleansing and disinfection at the place of loading, the means in which the animals are transported are treated with authorised insecticides and/or repellents. This treatment must in any case take place prior to leaving or entering the restricted zone;
(b)when a rest period of more than one day is foreseen at a control post during the movement through a restricted zone, the animals are protected against attacks by vectors in a vector protected establishment in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex II.
2.Paragraph 1 shall not apply if the transit takes place:
(a)exclusively from or through epidemiologically relevant geographical areas of the restricted zone during the bluetongue seasonally vector-free period defined in accordance with Annex V; or
(b)from or through parts of the restricted zone demarcated as a “provisionally free area” in accordance with Article 7(2a).
3.For the animals referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, the following additional wording shall be added to the corresponding health certificates laid down in Directives 64/432/EEC, 91/68/EEC and 92/65/EEC, or referred to in Decision 93/444/EEC: “Insecticide/repellent treatment with … (insert name of the product) on … (insert date) in conformity with Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007.”’;
Article 9a is deleted;
Annexes I, II, III and V are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.