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 the 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 Implementing Decision demarcates and lists certain areas of those Members States in Parts I to IV thereof, differentiated by the level of risk based on the epidemiological situation as regards that disease. That list includes certain areas of Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

In July 2017, a few outbreaks of African swine fever in domestic pigs occurred in the gminy Kąkolewnica, Podedwórze and Włodawa in Poland. These outbreaks occurred in areas currently listed in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. These outbreaks constitute an increased level of risk that should be reflected in the Annex to that Implementing Decision.

In July 2017, few cases of African swine fever in wild boar were observed in Bauskas, Dobeles and Talsu novads in Latvia, in Pasvaliorajono savivaldybė in Lithuania, and also in gminy Hanna and Tuczna in Poland, in areas currently listed in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU or in areas currently listed in Part II of the Annex but in close proximity to Part I of that Annex. These cases constitute an increased level of risk that should be reflected in the Annex to that Implementing Decision.

The evolution of the current epidemiological situation of African swine fever in the affected domestic and feral pig populations in the Union should be taken into account in the assessment of the risk to animal health posed by the new disease situation in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. In order to focus the animal health control measures provided for in Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU, and to prevent the further spread of African swine fever, while at the same time preventing any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union, and also avoiding unjustified barriers to trade by third countries, the Union list of areas subject to the animal health control measures set out in the Annex to that Implementing Decision should be amended to take account of the changes in the epidemiological situation as regards that disease in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

Accordingly, the areas affected by the recent outbreaks of African swine fever in domestic pigs in Poland that are currently listed in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU should now be listed instead in Part III of that Annex and new areas in Poland should be included in Part I of that Annex.

In addition, the areas affected by the recent cases of African swine fever in wild boar in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland that are currently listed in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU, should now be listed instead in Part II of that Annex.

The Annex to 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: