Introductory text

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^f1, 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^f2, and in particular Article 10(4) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16 December 2002 laying down animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption^f3, and in particular Article 4(3) thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU^f4 lays down animal health control measures in relation to African swine fever in certain Member States. The Annex to that Decision demarcates and lists certain areas of those Members States differentiated by the level of risk based on the epidemiological situation. That list includes certain areas of Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

Article 11 of Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU, providing for a prohibition on the dispatch to other Member States and third countries of fresh pig meat and of certain pig meat preparations and pig meat products from areas listed in the Annex, should be reviewed in order to improve its consistency as regards derogations applicable to exports to third countries.

Since October 2014, a few cases of African swine fever in wild boar were reported at the border between Estonia and Latvia, in both Member States in an area included in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. Two cases were reported in Lithuania in Kaunas and Kupiškis.

The evolution of the current epidemiological situation should be considered in the assessment of the risk represented by the animal health situation in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In order to focus animal health control measures and to prevent the spread of African swine fever, as well as to prevent any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union and to avoid unjustified barriers to trade by third countries, the Union list of areas subject to the animal health control measures provided for in Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU should be amended to take into account the current animal health situation as regards that disease situation in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

It is therefore necessary to amend the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU to include in Part II of that Annex the relevant areas of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.

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: