Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Council Directive 2006/88/EC of 24 October 2006 on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and products thereof, and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in aquatic animals^f1, and in particular Articles 44(1)(2), and 53(3) thereof, in conjunction with Article 131 of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community^f2,

Whereas:

Annex I to Commission Decision 2009/177/EC^f3 sets out the list of Member States, zones and compartments which are subject to approved surveillance or eradication programmes for, or have been declared free of, certain diseases listed in Part II of Annex IV to Directive 2006/88/EC.

The competent authority of Finland informed the Commission that it completed all the eradication measures under its ongoing programme for viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) in the Province of Åland and started the subsequent surveillance measures to be declared a disease-free area. Therefore, the Province of Åland should be deleted from Part B of Annex I to Decision 2009/177/EC and should instead be listed in Part A of that Annex as being subject to an approved surveillance programme.

The competent authority of Estonia submitted a surveillance and eradication programme for VHS and infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN) to the Commission for approval and asked that the areas subject to that programme be listed in Annex I to Decision 2009/177/EC.

The area in Estonia which is subject to surveillance measures for VHS and IHN should be listed in Part A of Annex I to Decision 2009/177/EC while a compartment infected with IHN and subject to the eradication measures against that disease should be listed in Part B of Annex I to Decision 2009/177/EC.

Most of the territory of Croatia is listed in Part C of Annex I to Decision 2009/177/EC as being declared free from koi herpes virus (KHV) disease. The competent authority of Croatia informed the Commission about several outbreaks of KHV within the geographical area currently listed and indicated that such KHV disease-free status should be withdrawn. Therefore, Croatia should be deleted from that list.

In accordance with Article 127(1) of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, Union law shall be applicable to and in the United Kingdom during the transition period provided for in that Agreement. That transition period will end on 31 December 2020.

The competent authority of the United Kingdom informed the Commission about several outbreaks of Bonamia ostreae on its territory including in areas which are currently listed in Part C of Annex I to Decision 2009/177/EC as being declared free from that disease, and indicated that Bonamia ostreae disease-free status should be withdrawn for those areas. Therefore, those areas should be deleted from that list.

Annex I to Decision 2009/177/EC 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: