Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007^f1, and in particular Article 220(1)(a) thereof,

Whereas:

Council Directive 2002/60/EC^f2 lays down the minimum measures to be applied within the Union for the control of African swine fever. Accordingly, pursuant to Commission Implementing Decisions 2014/100/EU^f3, as confirmed by Commission Implementing Decision 2014/134/EU^f4, and to Commission Implementing Decision 2014/178/EU^f5, Poland is to ensure that the area within its territory where that disease is present comprises at least the infected area listed in the Annexes to these Decisions. With a view to preventing the spread of African swine fever and in order to prevent any further disturbance of trade within Poland and abroad, Poland adopted on 26 February 2014^f6 some additional preventive measures in that infected area. As a consequence, the marketing of fresh pigmeat and pigmeat products from that infected area is subject to particular surveillance measures, to an obligatory labelling with a special health mark and to the application of some marketing restrictions within the single market.

The restrictions on the marketing of fresh pigmeat and pigmeat products resulting from the application of these veterinary measures imply an important price reduction in the affected areas and are causing disruption of the pigmeat market in those areas. Therefore, on 5 March 2014 Poland requested the Commission to introduce exceptional market support measures as provided for in Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013. Such measures, applying solely to fresh pigmeat and pigmeat products derived from pigs reared in the areas directly affected by the restrictions, should be adopted for the time strictly necessary.

The aid amount should be expressed as an amount per 100 kilograms of carcass weight of eligible animals, for a limited quantity and with a maximum compensable carcass weight per animal. The aid amount should be set taking into account recent market information.

For pigs reared in the areas concerned, the support should be conditional on the delivery of the animals to the slaughterhouses, their slaughter and the marking and the marketing of the derived meat or meat products in accordance with the stricter veterinary rules applicable to the areas concerned on the day of delivery.

Provision should be made for the competent authorities in Poland to apply all controls and supervision measures required and to inform the Commission accordingly. Transport and slaughter of the eligible animals and eventual treatment, where required, and release on the market of the fresh pigmeat and pigmeat products derived from those animals should be done under the control of the competent authorities.

Restrictions on the marketing of fresh pigmeat and pigmeat products have applied for several weeks in the territories concerned and this situation has led to market disturbance and income losses for producers, as well as to a substantial increase in the animals’ weight which has consequently brought about an intolerable animal welfare situation. Therefore, the measures provided for in this Regulation should cover the animals delivered as from 26 February 2014, date of adoption of the Polish preventive measures. The market situation and the impact of this measure need to be reassessed in the light of future developments and therefore the measure should apply only for a period of three months.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: