{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2020-1723/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2020-1723/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "eudn/2020/1723",
  "legislation_title": "Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1723 of 16 November 2020 on measures to prevent the introduction into the Union of the foot-and-mouth disease virus from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey (notified under document C(2020) 7661) (Text with EEA relevance)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2020-1723",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1723\nof 16 November 2020\non measures to prevent the introduction into the Union of the foot-and-mouth disease virus from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey\n(notified under document C(2020) 7661)\n(Text with EEA relevance)\nTHE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,\nHaving regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,\nHaving regard to Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15 July 1991 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC, and in particular Article 18(6) thereof,\nHaving regard to Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries, and in particular Article 22(6) thereof,\nWhereas:\n(1)\nFoot-and-mouth disease is one of the most contagious diseases of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. The virus causing the disease has the potential for rapid spread, notably through products obtained from infected animals and contaminated objects including means of transport like livestock vehicles or vessels. The virus can also persist in a contaminated environment outside the host animal for several weeks depending on the temperature. Accordingly, veterinary checks should be carried out on means of transport upon their return to the Union from certain third countries after such transport, in order to reduce the risk of the introduction of the foot-and-mouth disease virus into the Union.\n(2)\nCommission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/675, as amended by Commission Implementing Decisions (EU) 2017/887, (EU) 2018/489 and (EU) 2019/242, was adopted following outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia and established protection measures at Union level which took into account the survival of the foot-and-mouth disease virus in the environment and potential transmission routes of that virus. Those measures provided for appropriate cleansing and disinfection of livestock vehicles and vessels from those third countries entering the Union territory either directly or after transiting through other third countries, as this is the most appropriate way to reduce the risk of rapid virus transmission over large distances. However, Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/675 expired on 31 December 2019.\n(3)\nThe latest outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the third countries referred to in Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/675 were notified to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) by Algeria in June 2019 and by Libya in March 2020. However, despite the absence of notified outbreaks in the other third countries referred to in that Implementing Decision, the circulation of the foot-and-mouth disease virus in their territory cannot be excluded, as scheduled serosurveillance has not been completed.\n(4)\nAlgeria, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and the Anatolian part of Turkey are not free of foot-and-mouth disease, and possible virus circulation in this area constitutes a non-negligible risk to the susceptible livestock population of the Union.\n(5)\nThe Member States export a significant number of consignments of live animals to those third countries. Livestock vehicles and vessels used for the transport of these animals may be contaminated with the foot-and-mouth disease virus and therefore constitute a risk for the introduction of that disease upon their return to the Union.\n(6)\nCleansing and disinfection of livestock vehicles and vessels has been shown to be the most appropriate way to reduce the risk of virus transmission over large distances.\n(7)\nIt is therefore necessary to ensure that all livestock vehicles and vessels returning from those third countries to the Union are appropriately cleansed and disinfected. The operator or driver should submit an appropriate documented declaration of such cleansing and disinfection to the competent authority at the point of entry into the Union.\n(8)\nRegulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council lays down the animal health conditions applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals. However, as non-commercial movement of pet animals pose a low-risk of spreading foot-and-mouth disease, they should be excluded from the scope of this Decision.\n(9)\nMember States should also have the possibility to subject vehicles which transport feed from or have transported feed to the third countries not free from foot-and-mouth disease, and for which a significant risk of the introduction of the disease into the territory of the Union cannot be excluded, to on-the-spot cleaning and disinfection of the wheels or any other part of the vehicle deemed necessary to mitigate that risk.\n(10)\nConsidering the foot-and-mouth disease situation in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and the Anatolian part of Turkey, it is appropriate to lay down measures in this Decision to prevent the introduction of the foot-and-mouth disease virus into the Union.\n(11)\nRegulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council lays down rules on certain listed diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease. That Regulation applies from 21 April 2021. Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council repealed Directives 91/496/EEC and 97/78/EC, but Article 164(2) thereof provides that Article 18(6) of Directive 91/496/EEC and Article 22(6) of Directive 97/78/EC are to continue to apply in relation to the matters governed by Regulation (EU) 2016/429, until the date of application of Regulation (EU) 2016/429. Accordingly, the rules laid down in this Decision should apply until 20 April 2021.\n(12)\nThe measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,\nHAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 9."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/675 of 7 April 2017 on measures to prevent the introduction into the Union of the foot-and-mouth disease virus from Algeria (OJ L 97, 8.4.2017, p. 31)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f4",
      "text": "Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/887 of 22 May 2017 on measures to prevent the introduction into the Union of the foot-and-mouth disease virus from Tunisia and amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/675 (OJ L 135, 24.5.2017, p. 25)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f5",
      "text": "Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/489 of 21 March 2018 amending Decision (EU) 2017/675 on measures to prevent the introduction into the Union of the foot-and-mouth disease virus from Algeria and Tunisia (OJ L 81, 23.3.2018, p. 20)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f6",
      "text": "Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/242 of 7 February 2019 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/675 with regard to measures preventing the introduction into the Union of the foot-and-mouth disease virus from Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia (OJ L 39, 11.2.2019, p. 16)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f7",
      "text": "Understood as the State of Israel, and shall not apply to the geographic areas that came under the administration of the State of Israel after 5 June 1967, namely the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f8",
      "text": "This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f9",
      "text": "Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on the non-commercial movement of pet animals and repealing Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 (OJ L 178, 28.6.2013, p. 1)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f10",
      "text": "Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f11",
      "text": "Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products, amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 1069/2009, (EC) No 1107/2009, (EU) No 1151/2012, (EU) No 652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 89/608/EEC, 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council Decision 92/438/EEC (Official Controls Regulation) (OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, p. 1)."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2020/1723/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:12:05.276910+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}