Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2470of 31 October 2023concerning certain interim emergency measures relating to sheep pox and goat pox in Greece(notified under document C(2023) 7533)(Only the Greek text is authentic)(Text with EEA relevance)

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2470 of 31 October 2023 concerning certain interim emergency measures relating to sheep pox and goat pox in Greece (notified under document C(2023) 7533) (Only the Greek text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to 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. , and in particular Article 259(2) thereof, Whereas: (1) Sheep pox and goat pox is an infectious viral disease affecting caprine and ovine animals and can have a severe impact on the concerned animal population and the profitability of farming causing disturbance to movements of consignments of those animals and products thereof within the Union and exports to third countries. (2) In the event of an outbreak of sheep pox and goat pox in caprine or ovine animals, there is a serious risk of the spread of that disease to other establishments of caprine or ovine animals. (3) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 of 17 December 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and the Council, as regards rules for the prevention and control of certain listed diseases (OJ L 174, 3.6.2020, p. 64). supplements the rules for the control of the listed diseases referred to in Article 9(1), points (a), (b) and (c), of Regulation (EU) 2016/429, and defined as category A, B and C diseases in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 of 3 December 2018 on the application of certain disease prevention and control rules to categories of listed diseases and establishing a list of species and groups of species posing a considerable risk for the spread of those listed diseases (OJ L 308, 4.12.2018, p. 21). . In particular, Articles 21 and 22 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 provide for the establishment of a restricted zone in the event of an outbreak of a category A disease, including sheep pox and goat pox, and for certain measures to be applied therein. In addition, Article 21(1) of that Delegated Regulation provides that the restricted zone is to comprise a protection zone, a surveillance zone, and, if necessary, further restricted zones around or adjacent to the protection and surveillance zones. (4) Greece has informed the Commission of the current sheep pox and goat pox situation on its territory, following an outbreak of that disease in caprine and ovine animals on the island of Lesvos, which was confirmed on 24 October 2023, and, in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, it has established a restricted zone, which comprises protection and surveillance zones, where the general disease control measures laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 are applied, as well as a further restricted zone where certain control measures are also applied in order to prevent the further spread of that disease.

(5) In order to prevent any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union and to avoid unjustified barriers to trade by third countries, it is necessary to rapidly identify at Union level the restricted zone for sheep pox and goat pox, which comprises the protection and surveillance zones, as well as the further restricted zone, in Greece in collaboration with that Member State. (6) Accordingly, the areas identified as protection, surveillance and further restricted zones in Greece should be set out in the Annex to this Decision and the duration of that regionalisation fixed. (7) Given the urgency of the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards the spread of sheep pox and goat pox and the need to prevent the disease spreading from the affected establishment in Greece to other parts of that Member State or to other Member States, it is appropriate that the measures laid down in this Implementing Decision apply as soon as possible. (8) Accordingly, pending the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, the protection, surveillance and further restricted zones in Greece should be established immediately and listed in the Annex to this Decision and the duration of that zoning fixed. (9) This Decision is to be reviewed at the next meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Greece shall ensure that: (a) a restricted zone, which comprises protection and surveillance zones as well as a further restricted zone, is established immediately by the competent authority of that Member State in accordance with Article 21 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687, and under the conditions laid down in that Article; (b) the protection, surveillance and further restricted zones referred to in point (a) comprise at least the areas listed in the Annex to this Decision; (c) the measures required to be applied in each protection, surveillance and further restricted zone, are applied at least until the dates listed in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

1. Movements of sheep and goats from the further restricted zone to a destination outside that further restricted zone shall only be permitted if they are authorised by the competent authority and they comply with the conditions laid down in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4.
2. Movements of sheep and goats kept in the further restricted zone to a destination outside that further restricted zone may be authorised by the competent authority where such movements of sheep and goats are directly to a slaughterhouse located within the territory of Greece for immediate slaughter.
3. The means of transport used for the movements of sheep and goats from the further restricted zone, referred to in paragraph 2, shall: (a) comply with the requirements for the means of transport laid down in Article 24(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687; (b) be cleaned and disinfected before any transport of animals under the control or supervision of the competent authority;

(c) be cleaned and disinfected in accordance with the requirements for the means of transport laid down in Article 24(2) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/687 under the control or supervision of the competent authority; (d) only include sheep and goats of the same health status kept in the same establishment; (e) be sealed by the competent authority at the establishment of origin after the loading of the animals and unsealed by the competent authority at the slaughterhouse of destination. 4. The sheep and goats due for transport shall be subject to a clinical inspection by the competent authority 24 hours or less before the date of transport.

Article 3

This Decision shall apply until 15 February 2024.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the Hellenic Republic. Done at Brussels, 31 October 2023. For the Commission Stella Kyriakides Member of the Commission

Annex

ANNEX A. Protection and surveillance zones established around the confirmed outbreak Regional unit and ADIS reference number of the outbreakAreas established as protection and surveillance zones, part of the restricted zone in Greece referred to in Article 1Date until applicable Regional unit of Lesvos GR-CAPRIPOX-2023-00001 Protection zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Lesvos, contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 39.242555, Long. 25.87888 (2023/1) 15.11.2023 Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Lesvos, contained within a circle of a radius of 10 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 39.242555, Long. 25.87888 (2023/1) 24.11.2023 Surveillance zone: Those parts of the regional unit of Lesvos, contained within a circle of a radius of 3 kilometres, centred on UTM 30, ETRS89 coordinates Lat. 39.242555, Long. 25.87888 (2023/1) 16.11.2023 – 24.11.2023 B. Further restricted zone Regional unitAreas established as a further restricted zone in Greece as referred to in Article 1Date until applicableRegional unit of LesvosA further restricted zone that comprises the entire territory of the regional unit of Lesvos.10.1.2024