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 checks applicable in intra-Union 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, where there have been confirmed cases of that disease in domestic or feral pigs (the Member States concerned). The Annex to that Implementing Decision demarcates and lists certain areas of the Member States concerned in Parts I to IV thereof, differentiated by the level of risk based on the epidemiological situation as regards that disease. The Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU has been amended several times to take account of changes in the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards African swine fever that need to be reflected in that Annex. The Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU was last amended by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/220^f5, following instances of African swine fever in pigs in Latvia, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.

Council Directive 2002/60/EC^f6 lays down the minimum Union measures to be taken for the control of African swine fever. In particular, Article 9 of Directive 2002/60/EC provides for the establishment of a protection zone and a surveillance zone when African swine fever has been officially confirmed in pigs on a holding, and Articles 10 and 11 of that Directive lay down the measures to be taken in the protection and surveillance zones in order to prevent the spread of that disease. Recent experience has shown that the measures laid down in Directive 2002/60/EC are effective in controlling the spread of that disease, and in particular the measures providing for the cleaning and disinfecting of infected holdings and other measures related to the eradication of that disease.

Since the date of adoption of Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/220, there have been new cases of African swine fever in feral pigs in Hungary and Poland.

In February 2020, several cases of African swine fever in feral pigs were observed in the district of tarnobrzeski in Poland in an area currently listed in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. These cases of African swine fever in feral pigs constitute an increased level of risk, which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, this area of Poland listed in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU affected by these recent cases of African swine fever should now be listed in Part II of that Annex instead of in Part I thereof.

In February 2020, a case of African swine fever in a feral pig was also observed in the county of Komárom-Esztergom in Hungary in an area currently listed in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU, located in close proximity to the locality of Szomor and to Pest county, in Hungary which are areas currently listed in Part II. This case of African swine fever in a feral pig constitutes an increased level of risk which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, this area of Hungary listed in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU that is in close proximity to areas listed in Part II affected by this recent case of African swine fever should now be listed in Part II of that Annex instead of in Part I thereof.

Following those recent cases of African swine fever in feral pigs in Hungary and Poland, and taking into account the current epidemiological situation in the Union, regionalisation in these Member States has been reassessed and updated. In addition, the risk management measures in place also have been reassessed and updated. These changes need to be reflected in the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU.

In order to take account of recent developments in the epidemiological evolution of African swine fever in the Union, and in order to combat the risks associated with the spread of that disease in a proactive manner, new high-risk areas of a sufficient size should be demarcated for Hungary and Poland and duly listed in Parts I and II of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. The Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.

Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the spread of African swine fever, it is important that the amendments made to the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU by this Decision should take effect as soon as possible.

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: